Dragon's Eye, Phoenix' Wing
by Rosabell
Summary: Crossover of CCS and Escaflowne, although setting is on Escaflowne, story is on CCS. Van found Syaoran in a meadow on Gaea. Something had happened to Syaoran that no one can imagine. What is his story? Why was he there? And most of all, what happened to h
1. Default Chapter

Dragon's Eye, Phoenix' Wing

Chapter 1

The country had prospered greatly through that year and so had the economy. There was a joy in the air that Van had treasured. After all the years of coming darkness and the threat of destruction, peace had come at last.

At least now the days bore a sincere sign of brightness. Now the term " Good morning!" is no longer ironic. There was no longer a sad aura about Gaea. There was a happier one now. Bright and joyful-

Rustle.

The time of many dangers had long passed but Van was accustomed to standing his guard when faced with the unknown. He didn't bother to draw his sword, heck, it might be simply one of the deer. The dragons had all been slain and they are nothing to worry about, and without them nothing could actually harm him.

  
  
In truth the child knew what this place was and was not afraid of it. He knew what it had gone through and what kind of period it was now. He knew who the man was, knew what the meadow was, and knew that the man was slightly alarmed. He didn't care though, he wanted to get out of the thick trees and into the fresh air.

When he stepped out of the bushes he took some time to study Van. He watched and wondered when Van would relax and that tense aura would turn into curiosity. Deciding he did not want to be interrogated, the child ran swiftly past. Briefly he wondered when he would return to Earth again, then he decided he did not want to anyways. He had no friends. No family. What's the use?

  
  
Van caught the strange boy by the arm. He wanted a good look at him. The boy had dark brown hair and a fair face, with golden eyes that glowed. It turned dark brown for a minute before shining brightly again.  
" Who are you?" Van asked.

He saw a flicker of trouble in the golden eyes and they darted back and forth in alarm.  
" What is your name?" For some reason Van felt drawn to the boy, as he had been drawn to Hitomi who had gone back to the Mystic Moon. The pull towards the child was different, though.  
" Syaoran." The child answered softly. " Li Syaoran."

The boy wihdrew his arm.  
" Where did you come from?" Van blinked. That was a strange attire. The memory of Hitomi came back to him. " The Mystic Moon?!"  
" It shouldn't be that strange." Was the boy's queer reply. " Gaea is linked to it."  
" But why?" Van asked.  
" A will. A wish. A wind." Syaoran answered, before running off.  
" Matte!" Van cried. " Have you heard of a girl named Hitomi?"  
" She is coming when I go." Was the young child's answer, before the boy disappeared.

Van was stunned.

  
  
It really was odd, now that the boy thought of it, how peaceful the place is now, after so much blood and pain in the past few years. He picked up a flower and twirled in in his hands aimlessly. He could very well die off here.

A rustle.

Syaoran turned around and frowned. There are snakes here?

He held out his hand and the snake crawled on obediently without harming him. Syaoran smiled sadly.  
" You and I have been through a lot." He said to the snake. " Lost everything to gain the one great thing that is least important to us."

The child let himself fall to his knees and leaned back against the tree trunk, petting the snake.  
" If the humans see me with you they'll know I'm a demon." He said simply. " I'd rather die out here than in prison, right precious?" He chuckled. " Gollum. Hah." He let the snake down, who circled him, unwilling to leave him.  
" Come along lassie." He said to the snake. " It would do us both good to separate now before things get serious."

After some coaxing the snake left and the child was alone.

For a moment all was still. The child looked up at the sky and then closed his eyes, tears leaking out. For the first time, in a long while, the boy allowed himself to cry. But the people in Gaea wouldn't care. He didn't want them to care. There was no point in bringing despair to the people who had only just found joy.

Why did he feel so hopeless in such a wonderful place?

Just then, there was a rustle in the bushes. And it wasn't because of him.

  
  
Van looked around at the throneroom, secretly proud. Fanelia had been hard to set up again but he had done it and the country was blooming.   
" Your Majesty." Said the priest of Machnat. " The Gods call for another offering..."

  
  
" Hitomi!" Hitomi turned at the sound of her name. Her best friend ran up to her.  
" Hitomi! Good heavens! I was looking everywhere for you!"  
" Huh? Why?"  
" Sensei wants you to go to him. I hope you didn't do anything rash! Not after all the days you were absent!"

Hitomi flinched. It was several months after she got back. Van and she sensed each other from time to time but these days she was just too busy. She had no time for trouble!

She suddenly stopped. A vision! But on Earth? Why?

_" Syaoran-kun!" _a girl called, her auburn hair waving as she ran up. _" Syaoran-kun, I was looking everywhere for you!"  
" I noticed." _Said a boy, whose eyes were golden brown. _" Why did you come here?"  
" Oni-chan told me." _The girl was suddenly quiet.  
_" I knew he would." _Answered Syaoran. _" That baka could never keep his mouth shut."  
" Don't say that!" _The girl protested._ " If Oni-chan hadn't told me-"  
" So he told you. What then?" _Syaoran interrupted. The girl was silent.  
_"It's not the same anymore!" _Syaoran turned away. _" It's not like your stupid cards can bring them back and wala, everything's back to normal. Things have changed."_

The girl stood there for a moment.

_" What are you going to do now?" _She asked.  
_" I don't know." _Syaoran answered. _" I don't know."_

There was a scene change. Hitomi found herself in a dark room with moonlight streaming from the windows. She saw a young boy, his golden eyes glowing in the dark rise up from bed. He suddenly screamed and began crying uncontrollably. Footsteps were heard.

_" Syaoran?!" _The door opened and another boy with glasses came in, followed by the auburn haired girl and a dark haired girl, all in pajamas. _" Syaoran, what's wrong?"_ The boy asked.

But Syaoran could only sit there and cry. The boy rushed over to him and wrapped his arms around him. Hitomi saw that Syaoran was trembling.

_" Syaoran, Syao-chan, don't cry. We're all here. Everything's alright, just tell us what scared you. I know you're scared of something. We're here to protect you. Syaoran? Syao-chan? It's alright. It's alright, just tell us what's the matter..."_

For a long while the boy could do nothing but keep crying, with the other boy holding him. The girls sat by his bedside and also crooned and soothed him, and gradually the sobbing child calmed down enough to point one finger at the wall while huddled against the other boy's body.

" _Oh..." _The other boy blinked. _" It's only a shadow, Syao-chan..."_

  
  
Hitomi then saw a city of houses and mansions, crumbling into dust by some odd light. The destruction was so like that of Gaea that she shivered and nearly screamed. She thought of the boy shivering at night and knew instantly that his family was among the demolishment, and a single tear escaped from her care and trickled down her cheek.

The scene changed. The child, Syaoran, was on the phone, speaking in a strange language, probably Chinese. He slowly hung up and sat down heavily on his bed. The window was open and the curtains waved with the wind, and she noticed a shiver go along the child's body. Hitomi longed to take the boy into her arms and comfort him the best she could but for some reason she couldn't move. She saw how the boy's eyes had become dark brown and held a dead expression. 

Then she saw the child suddenly pick up the phone and dial furiously. She heard the faint sound of ringing, and a rough voice answer.  
" _Moshi moshi? Kinomoto residence."  
" Help me." _She heard the boy suddenly sob. " _Onegai!"_

  
  
There was a scene change again. This time, there was a tall boy standing outside in the hall, ringing the bell. His face held an expression of perplexity and concern. She noticed that he was younger then she was; he was around seventeen or eighteen, and Hitomi blushed at the thought that he was very handsome.

The tall teenager's expression turned into one of relief when the door finally opened, but it quickly changed to horror. Hitomi nearly cried out herself. Syaoran changed within the last few minutes. He was pale and his eyes flashed fire.

Hitomi followed the two into the room and she saw Syaoran sob and cry about something, and he started trembling all over again. The other boy was almost hesitant, but he finally wrapped his arms around the younger boy and crooned to him. Then he reached out hand out and dialed a number and waited.  
_" Yuki-san, it's me, Touya. I think we have a serious magic case here."_

  
  
Hitomi woke out of her daze when she saw the sensei looking at her queerly.  
" Ah, Hitomi, are you alright?" The teacher asked.

Hitomi jumped, then groaned inwardly.

  
  
Lord Chid was now twelve years old and had made his country extremely prosperous. He had grown tall for his age and wise. Allen Schezar and Van often came by from time to time, such as now.

The young sovereign was especially pleased today because of the new gift he had been given in the morning. It was a very young dragon-indeed, only about an wrist thick and very snake-like. The dragon was emerald green all over except for its tail, which was shiny gold, and the thick and beautiful mane, which was also gold. Its eyes were golden brown and often glowed golden light, especially when it raised its mane and hissed.

It had a very delicate face, smooth and tender, probably because it was so young. Two golden horns stuck out from its head, along with two long antennae like hairs. It had very small teeth but they were very sharp, and tiny claws. It moved about with grace even though its snout was tied shut and its neck was chained to its cage. 

Lord Chid planned to show the tiny dragon to Lord Van, and perhaps have it in a battle, if the warrior that brought it to him was truthful. A battle, perhaps, because the warrior claimed that the dragon was immensely skillful and Lord Chid did hate all dragons, small or large, as was with all who live in Gaea. Then perhaps, as a representation of his country, Asturia, and Fanelia, he could give the dead dragon as an offering to the gods, for never have in all of Gaea lived a dragon like this.

Lord Chid knew what he was doing. The dragon knew even better, and more than once the witnesses have seen the tiny dragon glow with green light, as if beginning an attack. They thought it was because its snout was tied, so it couldn't. That was partly the reason, but the dragon wasn't trying to attack.

  
  
Lord Van and the Lord of Asturia arrived one after the other on two separate days, Van after Asturia. There was really no reason to visit other then to reinforce the connection of peace. Chid's country was a beautiful one and had held the treasure of Atlantians, so it was a great kingdom indeed.

From time to time Van had received faint visions of houses burning and sobbings of a strange voice, but he thought it was simply because of the past. The past was haunting but he wasn't one who would cringe back in the face of fear, and with Hitomi gone safe and sound he certainly wouldn't hold back now.

Hitomi. How he longed to see her again. He wondered what happened to Hitomi; she stopped contacting him about a week ago and Van was worried. Looking at the pendant Hitomi gave him, Van smiled. He looked at the pendant that was given to him. He thought of all it did for both him and Hitomi.

Van almost laughed when they brought the dragon in. The dragon was nowhere near hideous and it was almost laughable. But he held back his laughter because the dragon was beautiful and that could not be debated.

Several minutes later it was clear that the dragon was no laughing matter. Chid had challenged Allen to combat the dragon. Naturally Allen humored the young lord and accepted unseriously, but soon found that the young dragon was a fierce opponent.

Van had keen eyes and could see that the dragon was nowhere near angry because twice he saw the chest glow and twice the dragon stopped it. When Allen and the dragon separated and they fell into stance, Van saw that the young dragon was trembling all over and there were slight hints of whimpering.

Allen noticed it too, because he saw that the dragon was very precise in its attacks and defenses but was moving so quickly and randomly that he knew it was because of terror. He noticed that the dragon was thin and long and did not stand on ground much. It had no wings, so he could not imagine how it was able to hover in the air, but hover it did and with great skill. Silently Allen thought it would be a great pity if the dragon were killed-it was such a small thing, and through all the combat the dragon had not once attacked at his neck, where it would have been fatal. All of the attacks were at his hand and that was the hand that held the sword.

Gritting his teeth, the young knight sliced forward and he saw a blur. He whirled around and got into a fighting stance, but did a double take. Where did the dragon go?

  
  
Van saw the whole thing and nearly choked. It was the same boy! What was his name? Syaoran? What kind of devilry is this?

The child was trembling and gripping a golden sword very tightly. He was glaring at Allen, who was so shocked he lowered his guard. The boy didn't attack though, instead waiting for the other to make the first move.

Van decided to end this.

" Well, this is a new phenomenon, don't you agree, Lord Chid?" He asked. " No wonder the dragon was so strange. He must have come from the Mystic Moon!"  
" Indeed!" The Duke of Asturia agreed. " No wonder he was so young. That child must be about ten. Come here, little boy."

The dragon was not a foolish dragon and neither was the boy. Syaoran glared at Allen without moving, his senses alert for any chance of escape.

Van stood up and that immediately caught the boy's attention.  
" Syaoran." He said. " Li Syaoran. I trust you remember me."

The boy studied Van but didn't move.  
" Put that sword away." The lord ordered.

There was a brief pause and Syaoran seemed to regain his senses. He sheathed his sword and stared at Van, waiting.

_For what?_ Van wondered. _He seems to know that I mean him no harm. He's no longer trembles. It's obvious he knows what I plan to do before I know myself. What is he waiting for?_

  
  
Hitomi didn't feel like sleeping that night because she had a feeling that she'll be seeing that boy again. She had slight visions of a dragon, a baby dragon at that, but she wasn't sure if it was her imagination or if it was from Gaea, as some of the visions had been.

She went to sleep anyway because she was going to have a test tomorrow and she really needed a good grade. She tried to dream of Van.

_" I don't know!" _Syaoran cried. _" I don't know who they were...they just came for me and I ran as fast as I could-"  
" Hush._" Said a white-haired being. And Hitomi called him a being because he doesn't feel human. _" It's alright. Just calm down and tell me everything."  
" They were tall." _Syaoran whispered to the being. _" I was...I was walking in the park because I couldn't sleep, and-and-and-"  
" Slowly now. Take deep breaths."_

" There were about five of them."  
" Who were they?"  
" I don't know. Powerful magicians, maybe."  
" What kind of aura did you feel?"  
" Ancient and powerful."  
" What did they look like?"  
" Tall. Demonic. Big glowing eyes."  
" Do you have something they might want?"  
" Iie. I had nothing. I don't know, Yue! I think they killed my family, but-"  
" Don't say that." Yue was holding the child close and was making soothing sounds while asking. _" Don't say that, shhh, everything will be alright. Just tell me everything...slowly..."_

  
  
" They are WHAT?" The white haired angel asked. It was a different scene. There was the same boy that wore glasses.   
_" Dragons." _The other boy said. " _Dragon Gods. I don't know why they're looking for Syaoran, but it appears they didn't get to him because there was another group that stopped them. If I'm not mistaken, they're the Phoenix Gods."  
" Is that bad?" _The auburn haired girl asked. _" I mean, are they evil?"  
" Oh, they're definetely not evil-if they are we would be long gone by now! But it seems that they have reached some sort of disagreement and Syaoran was somehow caught in the center of it all. Since we're linked to him, we're caught in it as well. I don't know what could possibly be wrong-Phoenixes and Dragons were always so friendly with each other."  
" Are they that powerful?" _asked a voice. Hitomi saw that it came from a moving stuffed animal.  
_" Of course they are! They're the spiritual gods." _answered the boy with glasses. _" Quite frankly they know and control everything that is here. I don't know why they're so interested in Syaoran though..."  
" Well, maybe because he's some sort of...god himself?"_ Yue suggested.  
_" What the heck are you talking about?" _Asked the golden stuffed animal. _" That's impossible!"  
" By no means." _Answered a tall lady standing beside the one with glasses.  
" _What do you mean?" _The auburn haired girl asked. " _What do you mean, Kaho san?"  
_" _I mean," _Kaho answered, " _That Syaoran may very well be a god, for why else would they care so much?"  
" But we don't know if they even care." _The girl answered.   
_" Sakura's right." _The boy answered. " _He might be a center of curiosity."  
" Then why would the Phoenixes stop them?"  
" Perhaps because they have other things to do, Kaho." _The boy answered.  
_" Why would they kill his family then? It's the entire clan, mind you." _Touya jumped up. _" There is some kind of strategy going on here. They're forcing him to remain where he is so he has nowhere to run to and nowhere to hide."  
" If that's the case, we're in big trouble." _Answered the boy. " _However, since we have no quarrel with them yet we are safe for now. I just hope they mean no harm to him."_

  
Van studied the boy closely and noticed that the child had calmed slightly. He was clenching his fists tightly and he noticed there was a wound on the boy's left leg, because he put most of his weight on the right and the other was slightly bent. The boy was waiting.

Van didn't know what the boy was waiting for but decided to take his chances. He held out his hand cautiously and reached slightly for the boy. 

Syaoran responded by cringing back and turning back into a dragon. He flew up to the ceiling until an arrow was shot. The young dragon gave a terrible screech and fell back, and Van caught him, noticing he had become a boy again.

" Who shot that arrow?" Lord Chid demanded. It was someone of Asturia. Allen glared at the man. Van however, was nursing the suddenly frightened child.

" It's alright." He said, studying the arrow to see how it could be pulled out, then decided that it shouldn't be pulled out at all. The child was starting to cry, to his surprise, whimpers of terror and fright.

" Now at least we know he can't escape." Allen knelt down beside Van. " And he knows it too. What a smart child."

Briefly Van wondered how Allen knew that.

The boy had quieted and was blinking at Van questioningly. Van ignored the look and turned his head over to glance at Lord Chid. 

Millerna hurried over, knowing that she was called, and bent down to her knees to inspect the wound. Syaoran had calmed down and watched her with his suddenly dull eyes. He did not faint.

" Hurry! Get him on the table, and I will need some knives from the blue bag..."

  
  
_" So...if they do want to hurt him, what are the odds of us winning?" _Sakura asked.  
" _Well...not very high." _The boy with glasses answered. _" You're only a Card Mistress. They're immortals. The only way to survive is to run then. That's why it's really important that they are doing this out of good."_

  
  
" Syaoran!" Cried the angel. _" Syaoran! Look out!"_

Hitomi wanted to scream the same thing, but too late, for the child already fell from the high building. Hitomi saw that people had crowded along the streets and were all crying and shouting in horror. But the boy did not fall. He swooped up by some unknown wind and then dived diagonally down.

Regaining his wits, Hitomi saw the angel spread his wings, and with one great swoop he flew over the heads of t he crowd and up. Syaoran had went back up again and was going up at a fast pace, when suddenly the wind seemed to gave out and he fell straight down into the angel's arms.  
" _Yue!_" The child cried as he crashed into the angel's outstretched arms. Yue flew up to the building and Hitomi found herself at the rooftop, with the angel holding the child tightly. Yue stared at her, and Hitomi thought he could see her until something passed through her.

It was a Phoenix God, no doubt, because he was dressed in gold and red. He was standing very still along with about eight other Phoenix gods, some in white, some in black, some in purple and bright yellow, all studying the angel that had come to save the frightened child.

It was obvious to Hitomi that the god did not want to hurt the child or the angel either. It was also obvious that Yue thinks that the god did want to hurt the boy and was on his highest guard. Shouts were heard from below.

_" Yue! Yue, Syaoran! Syaoran-kun! Are you two alright?" _The voice belonged to the girl.

Hitomi looked over the building and saw Sakura, pink staff in hand, ready to draw a card, and beside her the boy with glasses, his own staff in hand, ready to aid in whatever way he can.

_" What do you want?" _Yue asked.  
_" The child. He is our child." _The god answered simply.  
_" Nani?!"_

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and seven shadows passed by, in front of the gods. Hitomi knew they were dragon gods because they dressed in gold and green and blue. There was one in red though, but that wasn't enough to disprove it.  
" _Stay away from our child." _Said one of the dragons. _" He is ours by the blood of Li Shenti."  
" He is ours by the blood of Li Yelan." _The Phoenix answered.

_What the heck is going on?_ Hitomi asked. Is the boy both a dragon and a phoenix?

  
  
Van looked into the friendly and warm room to find the child both awake and staring at him. Van blushed for some reason, and closed the door behind him softly, while Allen ventured forward towards the child.  
" How's our little dragonchild today?" Allen joked, sitting down beside the boy on the bed. " You've taken some punishment the other day."

Syaoran glared at Allen for a brief moment before sneezing, totally ruining the effect.

Van chuckled and sat in the chair beside the boy.   
" Millerna told me you were a good boy." Allen continued. " Screamed not once even though the operation was painful. How did you do it?"  
" Stop teasing him Allen." Van laughed. " You ought to know first of all, this child's from the Mystic Moon. Remember how Hitomi was?"  
" Hitomi was a _girl._" Syaoran suddenly blurted out, and Allen started at how innocent but sad the voice sounded, even though at that point it was said flatly.  
" How did he know?" Allen asked Van.  
" For one thing," Van answered, " he's a dragon. For another, remember how Hitomi was?"

This time Syaoran decided not to tell Van that he was partly wrong, otherwise he'll get to answer more questions.

Van patted the boy's head and Syaoran did not respond, really.  
" Tell us," Van began, " How did you end up here?"  
" I wanted to." Syaoran answered hesitantly.  
" How did you know of Gaea?" Allen asked. " Did Hitomi tell you?"  
" I didn't know her-I mean," Syaoran fell silent. He was suddenly mad. Van smiled at that.  
" Then how did you know of this place? Hitomi didn't at first."

But Syaoran wouldn't answer that question.

The door opened and Merle peeked in.  
" Mreow!" She cried as Mr. Mole went by, and shut the door in his face and locked it. Syaoran jumped up and nearly cried out. Merle scampered over.  
" Is this the dragon kid?" She asked. " Very young."  
" Is this the catgirl?" Syaoran countered, vastly annoyed, because he knew who she was. " Very rude."

Merle got angry and swiped at his face. Syaoran turned into a dragon and, despite his wounds on his stomach and left leg, he managed to dodge.  
" Merle, behave yourself." Van told the girl strictly. " Syaoran, it's alright. She's always like this."

Syaoran couldn't tell Van that he knew that already because in a dragon form he couldn't talk. He only sneezed again, much to his chagrin, and waved his body on the wall, ready for another attack.

Merle blinked at the dragon in front of her.  
" Weird dragon." She muttered. She went forward to poke at it. Syaoran bit her finger.  
" MREOw!" Merle cried, jumping back, then she hissed. _This means war._

Van and Allen were too amused to stop either of them. Syaoran remained on the wall and Merle on the floor, ready to pounce. The little dragon blinked at Van and suddenly turned into a boy, landing on the floor lightly, but fell forward because of his leg.

Van and Allen hurried over to help the child and Merle sat on her back legs, completely confused.

" We now know that those two are inseparable." Allen laughed.

Van looked at Syaoran. _Maybe he can tell me more about how Hitomi is doing._ He thought. He started to comment on the relationship between Syaoran and Merle and that of Hitomi and Merle.

But something made him stop. There was something in Syaoran's eyes, now that he looked at him. Something that halts laughter and silences jokes. Something dark and sorrowful. It was then that Van realized, despite all the efforts of Merle, Syaoran was a sad child. 


	2. Chapter 2

Dragon's Eye, Phoenix' Wing

Chapter 2

Because Asturia was closer, Syaoran and Van stopped off there to rest for a few days. Syaoran did not want to be with Van any more than he had wanted to fight Allen, but he didn't like Allen either and he trusted Van.

He wanted to be out in the meadows and had planned to release his soul right then and there when someone grabbed him. Immediately he knew it wasn't Van because the young lord would not do something like that. He would not grab him by the neck...

But it was then that Syaoran realized that he had turned into a dragon. Something held his mouth shut and he bucked, but to no avail. He was put in a cage and fought tooth and claw, but at last he was brought in front of Lord Chid.

He was terrified.

Now that he was with Van, Syaoran felt safer, if not completely satisfied. He was able to sleep a little on the ride in the carriage, although at the smallest movement he would open his eyes and look at the source. It was for this reason that Van finally told him to just close his eyes and sleep so he could move without feeling nervous. Syaoran's alertfulness made him tense.

He had thought that Gaea would be a good place to die since it was beginning an eternity of " Pax Romana", or a period of prosperity and peace. It seemed that this period didn't include him, and now that he was with Van, who was ever watchful, he didn't feel very comfortable dying. No one likes dying when someone is watching you, no animal anyway, because it feels like you're naked to them everywhere. So he can't die now. He'll have to wait for the next opportunity.

He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Van was talking with Millerna and Allen about the whole incident, since they were visiting Fanelia.

" He just seems so sorrowful. I don't know." Van continued. " Like there was a painful past lurking within his memory."  
" Indeed. He's a dragon, after all. No doubt many people wanted him." Millerna answered.

Syaoran, suddenly awake, jerked and sneezed.  
" I think the guy's catching a cold." Merle noticed.

Van chuckled, wrapping his arms around him. " I think so too. When we get to Asturia, you'll get some food to eat and some warmer clothes."  
" He does need food." Millerna sighed. " Poor boy. When I was doing the operation "

Syaoran hissed, and Millerna cringed.  
" Now now," Allen warned Syaoran. " Don't behave that way. You'll be like Merle."  
" Meow!"  
" What happened during the operation?" Van asked, slightly worried.  
" He was all skin and bones." Millerna pinched at Syaoran's cheek, and the boy did not hiss this time. " There's so little meat here. He's so awfully thin, but look at the material in his clothes. These are fine material, no doubt. He did not come from a poor family."  
" He certainly didn't." Allen's sister replied, her first time speaking in front of Syaoran. " He has an air of divinity in him. It's almost ironic considering how animalistic he acts."

Syaoran visibly swallowed and turned away. Van saw a splash on his sleeve and knew what was wrong.  
" He understands everything we're saying, you know." He said to her.

It seemed that no one had thought of it before because the carriage was suddenly silent, save for the gentle rocking of the wheels as they hit the cobblestones on the road.

  
  
Hitomi had woken up extremely tired and restless that morning and thought she might have failed that test. She thought about the terrified boy and decided to tell her worries to Van. Van did not contact her at all during the week.

She sat down on her bed and concentrated on Van. Slowly she heard his voice.  
_Don't go there, you might get hurt._

Van?

Hitomi? Hitomi, is that you?

Hai. What's going on?

Oh, many things. How come I did not hear from you at all this week?

I was having visions. Visions of a boy named Syaoran.

Strange. Right now we have a child named Syaoran too. Li Syaoran. He's some sort of Dragonchild. Right now he's acting a little bit...I would say, nervous and frightened.

Nani? Syaoran is there? But he is a dragonchild. He's also a phoenix child too, I think, although I don't know how that's possible. He use to be in Japan around Tomoeda, judging from the streets. He had his whole family killed by the dragon and phoenix gods.

...

Van? Are you there?

That explains it then.

Explains what?

Explains why he's so...well, sad, I guess. Ever since I met him he was more sad then anything, really. But why would the dragon and phoenix gods kill the family of one of them?

I don't know. I guess judging from his friends, they were planning something.

Planning something? Oh, I need to stop now. Syaoran has this weird ability to read thoughts, I'll reckon. Right now he's standing there looking at me as if I had gone mad.

  
  
The connection was severed and Hitomi lied down. The conversation was slightly disturbing but it soothed her to know that Van was there and that he was alright. She was puzzled at why the boy would be on Gaea. But Hitomi was tired. She wanted to sleep.

Speaking of sleep...

  
  
Syaoran had actually wanted to talk to Van because for some reason his abilities were severed whenever he passed a certain door. He had wanted to ask Van what was behind that door, because for some reason he couldn't tell.

Now looking at Van, the boy suddenly felt scared. He knew that Van was communicating with Hitomi and from their conversation, Hitomi already knew something about him. The child felt tears well up in his eyes when he remembered what had happened in the past.

Now Van was watching him. What should he do?

Obviously it wasn't what he should do, but he did it anyway. Syaoran bolted from the room. He didn't know why. Maybe because he was met with his past. Maybe because he was suddenly afraid of Van, but that couldn't be!

He was only the heart of a normal dragon...

  
  
The next day Syaoran, deciding that he couldn't ask Van, decided to see what was behind that door for himself.

At the same day, Van and Allen decided to visit Escaflowne to see it for old time's sake. In a time of peace, there was really no real reason to do anything other than just for the sake of it. They opened the door to find an unwelcomed visitor.

Syaoran was greatly puzzled at the giant statue that was just _sitting_ there. He thought of the story about Dorothy and Toto and wondered if this was Gaea's version of the Tinman.

He wasn't really thinking straight but he was really tired and lonely and had to think of _something_ before he went mad. So he knocked at the metal leg.

Clank clank.

Clank clank.

He sort of knocked at the feet also, before getting illogically upset at receiving no response. So he jumped up to the knee.

The sight was frightening. What a big statue!

  
  
Van and Allen were trying their best to suppress their chuckles as they watched the boy try to get the hang of Escaflowne. It was obvious the child didn't know what the thing was. Knocking an armor wouldn't do you any good, especially if it was empty. Watching the child was fairly amusing.

  
  
Syaoran, because of the big statue, ( Or at least he thought it was because of the big statue and he was pretty much right) couldn't detect either Allen or Van, nor could he figure out what the statue actually was, until he stumbled and held his hand against the pink badge to support himself. The statue opened up.

He nearly fell off.

Blinking curiously, he peeked in. Inside there were metal things. Things that look like fingers. It must have been quite uncomfortable there.

Van started when Escaflowne opened to the boy's touch and blinked in surprise. Allen's mouth fell open slightly and wondered why it did that. They both started again when the boy went in and the suit suddenly closed, trapping the poor child.

" Syaoran!" Van cried, and Escaflowne moved suddenly. " Syaoran, stay still!"

Escaflowne stopped and Van went up and opened the dragon. The boy came out, very shakened and pale.  
" Are you alright?' Van asked. Escaflowne wouldn't do anything to whatever's inside, but the boy looked like he had been poisoned.

Syaoran was silent, even when he was brought down.

  
  
" Nani?!" Millerna laughed. " So the child had a chance to say hello to Escaflowne? I would have loved to see that!"  
" I know you would." Allen chuckled.  
" So is the boy alright?" Millerna asked sympathetically. " It must have given him quite a scare."  
" Oh, he's alright. He is scared though. I don't think he'll try that again." Allen answered.

Just then the door opened and in whipped a blur of green. Merle ran to the doorway.  
" You blasted lizard!" She yelled. " I'll get you!"

The dragon turned into a boy and landed on his feet. Syaoran glared at Merle for a moment.

Merle hissed and pounced. Syaoran suddenly disappeared.  
" Huh?" Merle turned around. " Where did he go?"

There was a flash of light and Syaoran appeared right behind Allen.   
_ It must be something with the Mystic Moon._ The knight thought as he held Syaoran to reassure him. The little body was trembling. Why was Syaoran afraid of a young girl?

But the knight soon found that Syaoran was not trembling out of fear. It was something much deeper.

  
  
Van was almost afraid that Syaoran hated Merle from that day afterwards. Normally children that age shouldn't be able to hate but he had no doubt Syaoran was able to.

He was also afraid that Syaoran would run away that night. He had seen him look out the window more then once with a strange longing in his eyes. But Syaoran did not run away.

Because Van had stayed with him the whole night. He was no longer afraid for Hitomi for he just talked with her after being unable to contact her for so long. Now he was afraid for the child himself. The child was so sad...

During that night they had a long talk.

" So what did you do then?"  
" Tried to stay put." Syaoran answered, shifting his head on the pillows. " Tried my best to stay put, anyway. Yukito offered to take me in because Yue was nervous about the gods. Everyone was curious at how I managed to go up when I was falling."

Van digested that information before continuing.  
" And then?"  
" And then...and then Eriol found out why the Dragons wanted me."  
" Why did they want you?"  
" My father was a dragon."  
" Oh...he was?"  
" Hai. He died when I was three. Or so I thought, anyway. I still don't know what happened to him. He was just gone. But I had dragon blood through my father, so one day I got a new hat, thanks to Tomoyo, and the robes came along with it. I didn't have this outfit before, but I guess this was the first outfit Tomoyo ever made that actually made sense. I stuck with this outfit from then on, until..."  
" Until?"  
" Until later. Several weeks after I rode the winds I transformed into a dragon for the first time."  
" How was it?"  
" It was scary."  
" Why?"  
" I wasn't use to not being able to talk." Syaoran was reluctant to tell Van. " And...it just felt so...beastly. Yue was startled when he saw me in that shape and I quickly turned back."  
" Did he say anything?"  
" Iie."  
" Oh. And then?"  
" And then...one time I was on the roof in school..."

__

Syaoran stood on the rooftop gazing over the city with his hands on the fence. He tensed as he felt the strong aura behind him and dared not look back.

A hand pressed against his shoulder and Syaoran let out a shriek, and stumbled backwards. Even after Eriol had found out what they were here for he did not trust them and was completely terrified of them and their power. He bolted, but too late, for strong arms were wrapped around his waist, keeping him from going anywhere.

" Do not run from us." Said a dark voice. " We are your family. We are your people."

But the child was so terrified he could not hear what was being said to him. He went on struggling until suddenly he fell through the other's arms and landed on his right knee, severely breaking it. Agonized with pain, he looked up to find the powerful dragon god standing tall against the sunlight. He was mad with terror and it seemed that time slowed, when suddenly he felt something stretch at his back...

" They were small wings." Syaoran said. " Small and golden, but enough to tell them that I was a phoenix as well as a dragon. They didn't stop though, and I couldn't fly, so when the other gods came I was stuck right in between. The phoenixes couldn't see me and they attacked the dragons. I was hit."

" I spent some days in the hospital afterwards and the dragons and phoenixes didn't come for me for a long time. I guess they were sorry that they hurt me like that because I could have died if Yue didn't find me soon after. It was actually a good thing that my wings came out at that time because if it hadn't then it wouldn't have blocked some of the blow and I would have been dead right then and there."

Van was silent for a moment. The child had a very adventurous past for someone so young. So far he had mentioned nothing of his family. Perhaps that was just as well.

Maybe it was because Syaoran heard him, or maybe because it was of his own fancy, but the child continued talking.

" Ironic." He said bitterly. " Cerene saying I act animalistic. I actually did come from a noble family. A whole clan, actually. My mother was a descendant of a very famous and powerful sorceror named Clow Reed. My father came from a line of Li's. Our land covered a whole town. There were so many people. Elders, aunts, uncles, cousins, even nephews and nieces. Meiling, for example...she's kind of like Merle. Always hopping about...you...and me, well, you know."  
" Ah. Another Merle. Perhaps they are the same, just in different worlds."  
" That can't be." Syaoran smiled, and it was the first time Van had ever seen him smile.

That smile struck Van because of how truthful it was. It pure and honest and brought more beauty to the child's face. It somehow lightened the aura. Van wished the moment would last.  
" That can't be." Syaoran was saying. " Because that would make you me...and..." He suddenly fell silent.  
" Nani?" Van asked.  
" Oh dear." Syaoran answered oddly. " It's odd how everything is so similar here. Hitomi has short hair and green eyes and Sakura does too, only her hair was slightly longer and her eyes darker green. You had the same temper I did back then, mindful of pride and you care about Hitomi as much as I cared about Sakura. And Allen! He's the exact twin of Eriol. They're both so irritatingly suave and calm and easy-going and both have abilities so no matter how frustrated you are you can't do anything to them. And Millerna and Tomoyo are both mighty rich girls. Merle clings on around you like Meiling does to me. You're all older versions of the Clow circle. And the Dragon!" Syaoran sighed, the smile was gone.

" Pathetic, isn't it?" He said without looking at Van. " Here I am blurting out all the things that I missed dearly to you who suffered far more. You might find that a lot of people who will come from the Mystic Moon will do that. They'll just cruise about in their own self pity and expect Gaeans to sympathize them before they even understand that their sufferings are nothing compared to here. You know Hitomi did that, right?"

Van didn't answer. He was studying the child very carefully and wanted to comfort him. He didn't know how though. He saw two splashes on the smooth marble floor and grew alarmed. Was the boy crying?

" I heard about Gaea when Hitomi came back." Syaoran continued, his voice oddly quiet and very smooth and steady. " Some time after she came back I passed by her house and I felt that alien aura. I connected that aura with this planet. I looked through Hitomi's eyes and found out that Gaea was exactly what we had called Heaven, and Heaven had been at war but now was expecting an eternity of peace. That time I already lost everything. No one wanted me there and I had gotten use to it, but loneliness eats painfully. You know that, right? I mean, even if Merle always goes around with you you still feel lonely at times."

" I figured that I am no longer important to anyone on Earth and since humans have already taken every space of it there I could not rest in peace. So I decided that since Gaea was mainly wilderness I ought to come here. It would be the same here as there anyway. So I came. I originally planned to end my life right there in the meadow. Then you came."

Van was silently glad that he interrupted what might have been a sorrowful scene.

" Beasts usually want to die alone." Syaoran continued. " All creatures want to die alone. Humans are exceptions though. They have so many things in life that they regret and they want someone there to be with them. They want to confess so that they can die peacefully without unfinished business because they think too much and worry about where they're going. They want someone there to hold their hand and tell them that they've been a good person in life and that in death they will be remembered as someone who had done great things. Animals, they're different. They're far too simple to regret anything they've done because they never did anything regretful. They feel uncomfortable when someone is there because it feels like that they're being studied, observed, laid bare before the other's eyes, and they could do naught to stop that. So they often choose a silent and calm place where they know that they can die without worry and no one would watch them in such weakness. That was what I planned to do."

" Funny." Syaroan continued yet again, after a pause, while Van was trying his best not to think of how happy he was that he had come in when he did lest Syaoran hear him. " Dragons are the same. They cruise about trying to find things to eat and when they die they hate dying at the hand of a sword. On the Mystic Moon, there are these creatures called elephants, and there were stories about them that they had a graveyard, and whenever an elephant feels that it's dying it will make a journey to that graveyard to die there. When the elephant fails and the other elephants find the remains of its body they mourn because the elephant failed to accomplish its final goal. Dragons don't have that though, from what I've seen. They just choose a calm and solitary place and just lie down, _right_ _there-_"

" Stop." Van pleaded. " Stop that."

Syaoran looked at him and he seemed to realize what was troubling Van.  
" Gomen nasai." The poor child answered, and swallowed all his thoughts.  
" Iie." Van shook his head. " I don't just want you to _stop talking. _I want you to _stop._"

Syaoran blinked and stared at Van.  
" You have yet to experience the world, Syaoran." The King said. " You're so young. Do you honestly think that you have no one anymore?"  
" No one needs me." Syaoran answered simply, ignoring the fact that the answer hurted Van deeply. " Everyone that cared was gone. You have Hitomi. Once she's here you'll forget all about me. Allen has Millerna. Merle has you. I don't know why I'm here in the first place. I'm not even supposed to be here. I don't see why I should think any other way." 


	3. Chapter 3

Dragon's Eye, Phoenix' Wing

Chapter 3

Allen was sitting with Van trying to comfort him because the young king was greatly troubled by the talk he had with the boy. Allen himself was troubled too after Van explained everything.

So they learned that Syaoran went to Hitomi's country in order to capture magical cards, his family was noble, and how he managed to get his wings and his dragon identity in the first place. Although Syaoran never showed his wings to Van or to anyone else, they knew enough to know that he was _both a dragon and a phoenix?_

Allen that that it was madness. However, in truth there was nothing else to believe, and having a dragon being a human child was enough to drive one crazy all by itself. The child from the Mystic Moon has a lot of mysterious secrets.

" He just seemed to have lost all hope, for everything." Van explained quietly. " He always ponders on death. Probably if he wasn't captured as a dragon he would have killed himself right then."  
" Well, be glad then, that he is still here."  
" For how long, Allen?" Van asked. " I fear for him. What if he takes it into his head to do it here?"

There was a hushed silence, then both men rose and rushed up the stairs.

  
  
Syaoran was covered snugly with blankets and his breathing was deep as he lied there in the dark room. Both Allen and Van sighed with relief.  
" We're going to have to keep a close eye on him." Allen whispered to Van.  
" Hai." Van agreed. They froze when the child shifted and murmured something.

Van beckoned Allen inside and closed the door behind them.  
" What in the world are you doing?" Allen asked. " Our presence might wake him."  
" True, but if we are careful enough, we might know what he's dreaming about." Van pointed out. " That way we can find out more things about him and figure out a way to help him."  
" Good heavens!" Allen answered, and they crept closer to the bed.

  
  
Hitomi was greatly distressed because this time _she_ couldn't contact _Van._ She had an idea of what he was doing up there; he must be fussing around with Syaoran, and she didn't mind really. But he could at least _tell her what's going on,_ and if they made any progress in healing the boy's wounded heart.

She knew more now. Over the past few days, through dreams and visions, she knew the whole story and was anxious to tell Van. 

But what was Van _doing?_

She knew about Syaoran. She knew that the child was in deep sorrow and deep pain as well as in danger of doing something rash. Right now she knew that Van had developed some kind of bond with the boy, and hopefully a close one. The boy needs friendship and Van would be the one to give it to him.

_But what was Van doing?_ Hitomi asked herself again. _It doesn't make sense. He's not answering me. Is the kid in trouble?_

Suddenly, an image of the child appeared in Hitomi's mind. The boy was the same sad one that she had last seen, but this time the child seemed to be staring at _her._

_Hitomi. I need your tarot cards, and with them, the Sakura Cards. For at dawn of the fourth new moon from today, there shall be darkness all over until death claims either Gaea or myself. Find the Sakura Cards in the yellow house in Tomoeda near Penguin Park, and ask for the Hikatoshis. They are the descendants of Kinomoto Touya, and they will know where the book lies. Remember, time presses, and if you wish to be rejoined with your beloved, do not make the same mistake I once made..._

  
  
" I am not going to allow him to do that." Van answered almost furiously as he stormed down the hall, with a very distraught Allen Schezar behind him.

" I'm not saying that you must allow him to die out there." Allen explained. " I'm only saying that if you want to see Hitomi again, it's obvious that _he has to go somehow._ That at least is what he's suggesting when he said that."  
" Since when did you suddenly understand what was it? Cantonese?" Van asked.  
" I did not understand Cantonese, but it's obvious that Syaoran made the listeners able to listen. Hitomi undoubtedly has no reason to understand Cantonese either. It's probably some sort of spell that you told me about."  
" Listen. This boy is very crafty. If he wants to die, _he's going to figure out a way,_ and undoubtedly he is going to lure the cards to do it. The only reason he hasn't done it yet is because _there is always someone there_, and he doesn't feel comfortable doing it and he knows we'll stop him. What better way then to use the other magic?"  
" But don't you get it, Van? He's a dragon _and _a phoenix. Don't you think he should be able to use his own powers?"

This seemed to have wakened Van slightly because he was silent for a long moment. Allen and the King looked at each other for a moment.  
" Exactly." Van suddenly lowered his gaze at his hands. " I don't understand. If there _is_ a darkness wouldn't Syaoran be able to overcome it?"  
" Apparently not."  
" And what did he mean by the mistake?"  
" Obviously something related with you and Hitomi's relationship, I'll warrant. But notwithstanding, I do believe you need to make a decision about Syaoran's fate and yours. It's either Hitomi, or Syaoran. The question is what consequences come after."

  
  
" Obviously he heard." Syaoran muttered to Millerna during the next morning while they ate breakfast together. " They both heard. Otherwise first of all, they'll be right here eating with us."  
" Heard about what?" Millerna asked.  
" I'm not really sure." Syaoran looked worried. " I think they're thinking that I'm going to go crazy and commit suicide." He remembered suddenly that Millerna didn't know. " Obviously, even if I am that mad, I'd wait until a better chance comes. The truth of the matter is, Gaea and Earth are drifting further and further apart." He forgot that Millerna calls it the Mystic Moon, but the princess still knew what he was saying anyway. " Someone was taking control of that. He either has more power or equal power as I do, so I don't know what he's doing. I was hoping that Hitomi wouldn't take it the wrong way and not bring me the cards because if she doesn't, we can all bid farewell to Gaea."

Millerna was silent for a moment.  
" Do we have a lot of time?" She asked.  
" We do have some time." Syaoran answered. " But we still need to hurry."  
" And what do you plan to do with those cards?"  
" First of all, Sakura's cards have the ability to tell the future like the tarot cards. They also have a strong offensive power. I know how to use them."  
" And if something goes wrong?"  
_" Then_ I die."  
" So those two are right then."  
" I guess. It's either Earth or Gaea. The guy can attack here and I might be able to fend him off alone without the cards, but I definetely won't get rid of them. Then he's going to the Mystic Moon and kill Hitomi off there to lure Van and Escaflowne. Speaking of Escaflowne," Syaoran realized that Millerna was of the same mind as Van and Allen, " What _is_ that thing?"  
" It's a type of armor. Why?"  
" The truth is, and I really think Hitomi had something to do with this, but every time I get close to it, say, several meters away from it, my powers just get pressed down and I can't use them anymore."  
" You mean, flying around, going through things, and becoming invisible like you did yesterday to Merle?"  
" About as much, but that's just a drop of water in the ocean. I'm just worried if Escaflowne goes out while whoever is doing all of this attacks, I might not be able to fend him off."  
" Do you know who it is? You keep referring to that person as " He"."  
" I know it's a ' he', that much I know. I know he's an immortal, that much I know. I don't know what type though."  
" How many types are there? And what are they like?" Millerna was very interested. She decided that later she might tell Van and Allen, but kept from thinking that lest Syaoran heard her.

" There are several types." Syaoran smiled, and it was the first time Millerna ever saw him smile. She thought that he looked adorable when he was smiling, and there was a kind of tender light in his eyes, heartwarming and true. " There are the Dragons. They are considered the highest ranking along with the Phoenixes. The Dragons have power over the sea and the sky. They can raise storms and control the flow of wind. It was said that most Dragons are calm and quiet, and there were very few of them. They were well disciplined and well respected because they had the best temper. The ' human among apes', as you may say. We love the water and the air. We have the ability to heal and make life, or to sustain life if we wished."

" The Phoenixes...they, well, they're much more hot tempered. Cantankerous.  
They are proud and are feared. They're considered primitive though, I don't know why. Maybe because they're wild and enjoy their freedom. They hate being caged up. Like Dragons, they rule the skies, and rule the flames. Should one of them drop into the water, it is deadly for them, because their feathers and their body are made of controlled flame, and since the water puts it out, their bodies will slowly turn to ash, and the only way to help them is to light a fire and let it creep along their bodies so that it dries all the water; otherwise they'll become dust. They have powers of destruction and birth as well and rank as high as the Dragons, but Phoenixes are more abundant because no one had ever killed one yet. They are very careful and very wily." Syaoran laughed. " Well, I shouldn't say ever killed _one,_" He sighed.

" Then there are Forins. You probably never heard of them-they're land dwellers. They are kind of like deer, only larger, much larger. They have fur as white as snow, and tall antlers like trees. But their whole body is made of stone and crystals they're fascinating to look at. Pieces of white jade, white gold, silver, all things that can be imagined. They never ventured out of the immortal realm because Men are greedy and might kill them for their bodies. They are rather weak, if you ask me."

" Another one, and they are slightly stronger, are unicorns. You might have heard of them. They come usually in white, and instead of mane under their necks, they have them over their necks, much like the horses on the Mystic Moon. Horns stand on their foreheads, made of white gold, usually, and such power was in them! They are beings of purity and their horn gives them protection and blessing. They too, are land dwellers."

" Some others live in the sea. I knew one of them. She was a Nakten. Her species has long smooth bodies with flippers instead of legs, a long slender neck and a graceful head. Long tails with great muscles lash out to help them swim. They always bore the best voices, and their song enchants even the wildest and coldest of hearts."

" You speak...as if that was long ago."

Syaoran looked at Millerna for a long time before answering.  
" It was long ago." He answered.

  
  
" Blasted lizard." Merle licked her fur. " When I get at his neck he'll learn. Hmph."

The said ' lizard' swayed his way into the room casually and picked up a chicken leg while he flew past the table.

Merle blinked curiously as she watched the dragon deal with the leg. He was more graceful than a swan when he was a dragon. His long neck arched stylishly as he nibbled timidly at the meat. He ate very slowly. It was _not_ animalistic.

Merle waved her tail and the dragon blinked at her. She purred. The dragon answered with a low rumble in his throat.

" You know, it's not polite to eat when it's not time." She scolded.

Syaoran snorted and went on eating. He clicked once, dismissing her. As if he cared about rules!

Giving a wide yawn after feeling full, ( He only finished a third of that very small piece of chicken and it was mostly bones anyway,) he tossed the meat to Merle. Merle growled and skittered back. Syaoran made a noise that sounded like laughing and rolled on his back as the chicken lifted by itself into a bucket.

" What in the world are you doing?" Merle asked.  
" Dlrdlrdlrdlrdeee!" Syaoran chirped.

Merle cocked an eyebrow and tilted her head. " Huh?"

Syaoran at that moment decided he was thirsty, so he rolled back on his stomach and _walked _over to the table. He looked very much like a lizard.

Once he got his head onto the table, he nosed around for something to drink. Wine. Wine. Wine. Wine. Wine. Wine. Wine. Wine.

More wine.

Even more wine.

Hmm, what's this? Oh. Wine.

Wine.

Frustrated now, Syaoran decided to just _drink the blasted wine._ He licked and immediately spat it out.

_What in the world was THAT?!_

  
  
Merle was watching him with an amused look in her eyes as the dragon slumped off sulkily and curled up below the table. She decided to get under the table and poke at him, just to annoy him.

It was to her fortune that Syaoran at that moment was in the mood for playing with her, otherwise she'd have been soaked.

Actually, she was soaked anyway.

" MREOW!" She shrieked, as a squirt of water splashed into her face. " Hey!" She was about to retort, but then a whole _bucketful _of water fell on her.

" Ow! Hey! I'll get you for this!" But Syaoran was clicking along with laughter and squirting water at her. Merle had enough of this! She scampered off, and Syaoran flew off behind her, squirting water and purposely missing her but forcing her to keep going.

  
  
Van and Allen were sitting at the table with Millerna and Mr. Mole when they heard a commotion down the hall.

" Meow! Mreow! Stop! Matte! Stop that! Grrrr!"  
" Cli cli click! Clicliclicliclick! Tweeet!" 

Standing up in alarm, Van wondered what happened this time.

Merle came scampering into the room and hid behind Van. Along came this small dragon, green and giggling all over. Van noticed that Merle was drenched and the dragon was tumbling around the air in laughter. He wondered what Syaoran's laugh sounds like in human form, but in dragon form it really was both kawaii and funny.

The dragon squirted water over his head and onto Merle's. Van decided to move aside and let Syaoran have some fun. Merle wouldn't have that. She ran behind Allen, and hissed. Syaoran clicked again and squirted water. This time Merle dodged. She ran behind Millerna, and Syaoran suddenly fell silent.

Merle wondered what happened and peeked out from beside Millerna's legs. To come face to face with a pair of golden eyes and a green, small snout.  
" MREOOOW!!!" She cried, jumping back in alarm. The dragon giggled, squirted more water into her face, then decided that he was tired and curled up in Van's arms.

The humans of the scenario were laughing so hard they could hardly stand up. It was hard to tell which was more hilarious-a wet cat, the giggling dragon, or the whole situation. Merle had the reputation of bring laughter to a lot of things and this happened to be one of them, and a serious one too!

Merle hissed at Syaoran, and his response was another squirt of water at her face. She growled and strolled off, tail waving unhappily. _That was not funny._ She thought.

Syaoran casually looked after her without concern and then crawled on top of Van's head. Van laughed.  
" I wonder what would happen if we painted something like this." He chuckled. " It would make an amusing picture!"

So that was how it started. Van Fanel, Lord of Fanelia, Friend to all baby Dragons, signed by Mitch Scholin, hung on the wall of his private quarters.

It was after that single experience when Syaoran decided he did not like posing for paintings, as it could take many hours at each day and many days. Even as a human boy he did not have many paintings, although he claimed that he did have quite a few of him and some other people when he was at home. Syaoran never did mention where that home was.

  
  
Hitomi came to Fanelia on the night of the sixth moon, carrying the books with her. She was dressed for the winter so she had sweatpants and sweaters and she carried with her a bag of many clothes, along with her tarot cards and the Sakura Book she got from the descendants of Touya. She arrived in Fanelia in the same pillar of light as the one that had carried herself and Van there before. 

She was very nervous about seeing Van. Although they had kept close contact the last several years, she hadn't seen Van's face at all. Briefly Hitomi wondered if Van had changed, if anything had changed, and how Fanelia came to be in the first place.

Hitomi ventured through the streets, trying to ignore the stares at her. She was feeling very self conscious about her clothes but that was a small matter now. She wanted to see Van and that was the most important thing.

Entering the palace she was stopped by two guards.  
" Who are you?" They asked.   
" I'm-Hitomi-" She started,  
" Hitomi!"

Hitomi looked up to see a boy _leaping_ from the high wall. She cried out for his safety but the boy landed without harm.

Syaoran rushed up to her. He glared at the guards for a second before turning back to her.  
" You made it." He said. " Safe and sound too."

Hitomi looked at Syaoran and noticed that he had grown much thinner and pale from the vision she had last seen. She thought about how Syaoran was once healthy, with rosy cheeks and strong hands, and still was after the mass murder.

__

" So what are you planning to do, Yukito?" Touya asked. " The kid doesn't even have insurance here, or health care, for that matter! You can keep him here in your house for the time being, but then what are you going to do when he gets sick? And then you can't legally support him if the government finds out, and they will, trust me. The Li clan's disappearance will eventually lead to the gaki, and they're going to get you for this!"

" I don't know what to do, in truth." Yukito answered " I only know that the first thing we should do is to do something about the gods, and then we can concentrate on Syaoran and his future afterwards."

Just then the child opened the door groggily and peeked out.

The two tall teenagers immediately changed their topic.

" So, did you see that game yesterday?" Touya asked casually, although his teeth were slightly clenched.  
" Iie. I was here doing homework. How did it go?"  
" It was pathetic. Our high school got their butts kicked. Seriously, I think they choose too many overweighted individuals."  
" I know what you mean." Yukito smiled at Syaoran kindly. " How's our little hero today?"

Syaoran didn't answer. He didn't feel like talking about the incident the night before, when he rescued Sakura from several strange gods.

" Since when did the kid become the silent type?" Touya asked.  
" Yukito-san, I need to call Eriol." Syaoran suddenly said.  
" Go ahead." Yukito answered. " Phone's over there."

Syaoran dragged himself over there and Yukito whispered to Touya,  
" He lost a lot of weight. What am I to do?"  
" How should I know?" Touya whispered back. " Sakura always wolfed down everything at home. I was never met with this situation. The kid's depressed. He still looks strong enough though."  
" But what if he gets sick? What IF he gets sick?" Yukito asked. " Does your father know anyone who studies medicine? Do YOU know anyone who studies medicine?"  
" By gods, Yukito!" Touya exclaimed. " Yue, Moon Guardian, Judge of the Clow Card Masters. I thought you would know enough already! Adopt him!"

Syaoran suddenly turned around, his golden eyes glowing with an unknown fear, and the two older boys stopped and could not move anymore.

  
  
Hitomi looked at the child that had once been so lucky and healthy, now reduced to a skinny bundle of bones. She followed him inside, her mind still dwelling on what happened afterwards.

  
  
_" First of all," Eriol began, " We are very good friends of his, and we care about him. Tell us what you want with him and we may consider. Otherwise," Eriol stamped his staff on the ground firmly, an expression of his power and rank, " Our relations end now."_

The expression on the gods was unreadable; it was hard to tell whether they're amused or worried. Finally one of them spoke.

" Seven years ago," He began, " The child woke up at night to the shadow of Death and saw it and recognized it. The following morn his father disappeared, never to be found. Ever since then the child unconsciously called us for aid, his trauma incurable by any mortal means, and his mother afraid to interfere. Two months ago, the child again woke up at night to the shadow of Death and recognized it as the same shadow that had taken his father years before. The same night his family was murdered and the boy was left an orphan. His calls ceased and we found him. The Phoenixes and the Dragons found him at the same time and wish to take him to our world, but we live in different places. The child does not recognize us and is afraid. Iie, we do not wish to harm him. We simply want to take him home."

" Really, Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked her trembling friend. " Is it true? When you were three years old you saw that shadow?"

Syaoran did not answer. He only huddled against Yue's body and hid his face in Yue's shoulder.

Eriol carried on a look of doubt.  
" Then why do you two fight?" He asked.  
" We fight for the child." Answered the Dragon God. " The Phoenixes are proud and want him and love him. We live in a higher rank and love him as well. Over the past seven years we watched over his aura and protected him and felt him grow with his powers. We felt his despair and loneliness. We felt his love."

Syaoran huddled even tighter against Yue, who comforted him softly, stroking his hair.

" Come to us, child." The gods called. " Come to us. Come to us, come back to your home, where you may live in all the light of the worlds..."

  
  
Hitomi looked at the boy who came from the immortal world. He didn't go until his friends were killed by the same magicians that had attacked Sakura. She wondered if the boy thought of Sakura now that she's here, with Sakura's possesions and all.

Syaoran was remembering a time long ago when he was with his dear aunt from the Phoenix side. He remembered how the warmth enveloped him, how the love caressed him. He felt Hitomi shift behind him with unease and a sad smile graced his lips. Hitomi now had long hair. She looked like that aunt.

  
  
Van was slightly alarmed at the sudden appearance of King Chid and the sudden _disappearance_ of Syaoran. Chid told him that there was something along the horizon against Fanelia and might come and attack him, and Chid was offering alliance.

Van was certain that whatever it was was coming for Syaoran by some unknown instinct. He ordered the officials to look for the boy and bring him to the throne. 

However, when the guards came back, Van nearly fell over. Not only was Syaoran there, but Hitomi as well!

" Hitomi!" He cried, standing up and rushing to her. They hugged as if they'll never meet again.  
" I am so glad to see you!" Van cried, forgetting that he didn't want Hitomi to come back if it meant Syaoran was to die. All he knew was that he loved Hitomi, that Hitomi loved him and they are together again. And from the silent tears in her eyes he knew that Hitomi was thinking the same.  
" Van." She whispered.

The two were so engrossed with each other that they didn't notice Lord Chid and Syaoran slinking off into the hall. 


	4. Chapter 4

Dragon's Eye, Phoenix' Wing

Chapter 4

Chid didn't like Syaoran and Syaoran didn't like Chid that much either. Nevertheless they still left the couple alone and went off into the hall. Chid was no fool and neither was Syaoran and they both knew that the best person to protect Gaea from these strange invaders is the new dragon friend they had made.

Chid did not know that Syaoran was a Phoenix and therefore looked down at him. Syaoran knew everything there is to know about Chid and wasn't too respectful of him either. However they both kept their disagreements to themselves.

Chid took that day to realize that Syaoran was in fact younger than he was. When he had asked Syaoran's age, Syaoran looked at him as if wondering if it was a trick question and answered that he was eleven. 

Chid thought Syaoran seemed too smart to be eleven, but since he was more intelligent then most people of his age himself he didn't complain. He found a lot of things wrong about Syaoran. He looked ugly. Syaoran looked like a skeleton. Chid pushed aside the thought that Syaoran was too skinny because what did he care? He thought that Syaoran's eyes look demonic. They are so large and golden. He thought that Syaoran's hands looked hard and tough, not like those of an eleven year olds. He thought Syaoran's face held a face of a traitor.

The two of them sat with Chid's guards together in silence in the room Syaoran had selected. It was a comfortable room, Chid had to admit. But being with that demon boy did not comfort him. The silence made it even worse.

Syaoran seemed to sense it because he stood up suddenly. He placed a tray of tea on the table. It took Chid a moment to realize that the tray wasn't there before.

" Talk of doom is rather depressing, don't you think?" Syaoran began. His voice startled Chid because it was very humane. " Not my idea of dying, but I guess it will have to do."  
" What do you mean?" Chid asked, as Syaoran poured him a cup of tea and handed it to him. He tasted it. What kind of tea was this?  
" Oh, just the enemy that you are here about in the first place." Syaoran answered, sitting down. " He'll be much more of an enemy then that old man you've been battling five years ago. That chap is a mortal who made himself live long. This one is immortal through and through."  
" Immortal? You mean...like a god?" Chid was amazed.  
" You didn't know?" Syaoran snorted. " I was wondering _why_ you came to Fanelia in the first place. So, you didn't know! That's just as well, I guess. I shouldn't have expected you to know. But in any case he's a god, and not one of the gods you've been praying to. He killed many other gods." Syaoran fell silent.  
" How do you know?" Chid asked suspiciously.  
" I was there. Oh, you don't know. I am a god as well." Syaoran shifted and sipped his tea silently for a moment.

" It was a long time ago." He began silently. " I was in the immortal realm for about several months and things were looking bright then. And then the Dragons and the Phoenixes started gathering together more often. They looked at me and discussed things I did not understand."

Chid noticed that the other boy's expression began to grow dark and sorrowful.  
" They were good guardians, the Dragons. The Phoenixes were too. They treated me with respect but never expected too much of me so I lived casually those few months. Several weeks later, after the dragons and the other gods met, Yoshan suddenly woke me up late at night. She told me that I had to get dressed quickly...that there was not much time. I didn't know what was wrong but I did as she said, and she hurried me out of my room...outside where the other phoenixes were."

" ' Can he fly?' One of them asked. Yoshan briefly chided him and lifted me up. I was so scared. Remember when your father died? The doubt and fear you felt? That's what I felt. I was afraid. Yoshan and the Phoenixes-there were about three of them that night that were there, they hurried me out of the palace and handed me over to the Dragons. Nina took me over and they never allowed me to walk for some reason."

Chid noticed a tear trickle down Syaoran's cheek as he spoke. His heart melted for the younger boy.

" They carried me to the mortal realm...it was the Mystic Moon, and they laid me in a dark cave covered with moss and hidden by bushes. They told me not to make a sound and to close my eyes. They told me they'll come back for me."

Chid saw tremors run along the other boy's body and swallowed uneasily.

" I closed my eyes," Syaoran swallowed, his voice steady and calm, " And then I knew nothing more. After several decades I awoke. I was in the cave. They never came for me. Weeks later I found out what happened to them and why they never came."

Chid had an idea what happened by Syaoran told him anyway.

" That blasted god killed them all." He looked at Chid with his liquid gold eyes. " That night they hid me because they wanted to save me. They didn't save any other child, and believe me, there were plenty at that time. They saved me alone because I was the one he wanted. That blasted god killed them all and I was the only one left. I don't know if there were any survivors. I just know that the ones that hid me are gone."

Chid swallowed uneasily and looked away.

" Tell me, tell me my lord," Syaoran suddenly pleaded, " Is this life worth living anymore?"

Chid was silent. He didn't know what to say.

  
  
" Iie." Hitomi answered Van. " Syaoran is probably going to use this as a chance, but he's not going to do this on purpose."  
" Nani? What do you mean?" Van was confused.  
" Syaoran's not going to kill himself until the Dark Phoenix is destroyed or at least he made sure Gaea is safe." Hitomi answered. " He knows that one way to rescue Gaea is to run to Earth, but then the Dark Phoenix would follow him there. He knows that the only way to save both worlds is to confront him close and personal."  
" But then wouldn't he get killed himself? If the Dark Phoenix is so powerful-"  
" Not necessarily." Hitomi answered. " First of all, he has a plan. That's why he told me to come. Second, he's a Dragon _and_ a Phoenix. He has the powers of both and he doesn't know how to mingle them yet, but he could. Now is the question of time."

Van pondered on Hitomi's words for a long moment in silence. They were in his private quarters-the meeting had adjourned. 

" How should we protect him?" Van asked.  
" I don't know. I'll have to ask the cards, because Syaoran isn't too sure either." Hitomi answered.   
" Then do so quickly." Van beckoned. " I would never forgive myself if it all ended like that."  
" I know what you mean." Hitomi answered, nodding. " He suffered a lot through the years, and each year he was able to handle less and less."  
" No wonder. He's only how many years old?"  
" Eleven, physically and mentally."

Van swallowed. " He is still a child."  
" Tell that to the Dark Phoenix. Who knows what he'll do to Syaoran. It wouldn't be a minor reason for him to look for the boy for so many years without stopping."

Van was silent for a long moment yet again and Hitomi lost herself into her thoughts.

Millerna rushed into the room.  
" We have another Draconian!" She cried, totally frightened, " And a...a lion with wings!"  
" Oh." Hitomi blinked. " That must be Yue and Kero-they were the only ones who survived but they wouldn't wake up anymore. I think Syaoran thought they were dead, but Syaoran would have sensed their auras by now. Don't be scared-Kero won't eat anything but cake and Yue doesn't eat at all...unless he's in his false form, anyway."

The Earthling girl stood up and followed the stunned princess out into the hall. Yue was sitting in a chair perfectly calm and Kero had turned into his false form and was looking around for someone he knew.  
" Konnichiwa." Hitomi suddenly felt awkward. What could she say?

According to Syaoran and all his memories, Yue wasn't always friendly with strangers-correction: he was _never_ friendly with strangers, and Syaoran had absolutely no idea why he was so nice to him during the last times. Hitomi had no more ideas then he did and felt extremely timid. She felt cowed because Yue had an ability to make himself look grand.

The Moon Guardian regarded her in silence for a long moment.  
" I guess it had been many years, Sakura." He said.

  
  
Syaoran had gotten over his ' fit', as Chid would call it, and was not crying anymore. He wasn't even thinking about the past too much, and because of that brief period Chid dropped all the dissatisfactions he had of him and they quickly became good friends.

Syaoran admitted to the young lord that he was still not use to his powers because he had only been exposed to them for several months beforehand. He said that this could be a bad thing because the Dark Phoenix, who is the enemy, is several milliion years old and obviously has much more experience then he did, and the odds are quite frankly against them because although Syaoran felt sure he was more powerful, he was unable to tap into those powers.

Chid suggested that Hitomi might use the tarot cards to help him.  
" After all," Chid explained, " She is psychic."  
" That _is_ what they are doing right now." Syaoran answered. " However, the tarot cards are inventions of mortals. They cannot help me much unless they are done by an immortal, perhaps. I asked Hitomi to bring the Sakura Cards and she has to know how to use them."  
" Aren't you going to use them?" Chid asked.  
" Well..." Syaoran blushed slightly and lowered his eyes. " I could. I know how to use them...but they were Sakura's."

Chid didn't understand.  
" We were childhood friends." Syaoran told him softly. " We met when the Clow Cards, which are the Sakura Cards before, were released by fate. Sakura and I at first competed to capture the Clow Cards, but then I guess she sort of melted my heart somewhat. I let her capture the cards."  
" Melted your heart?' Chid asked.  
" When I was three," Syaoran began, " It was late at night, and I was asleep with my mother because that was how parents bond with their child. My father was on the other side and my mother had her arms around me. That night, under a pale moonlight, I saw something against the wall, and that sight frightened me so much I started crying and couldn't stop."

Chid listened quietly, hoping that Syaoran wouldn't fall into that fit again.  
" My mother was holding me and trying to soothe me and my sisters were complaining about all the racket I was making. But my mother knew that I was afraid because my body was quivering. After many hours I was able to point one finger at the wall, and when my mother looked she said,  
" Oh, that is only a Shadow, Syaoran.""

" That year my father died-or was simply gone. No one knew what happened to him. I was only three and I couldn't have possibly understood what that shadow meant. But after my father's death...I guess I changed somewhat. Sakura was the one that healed me."

Chid nodded to show that he understood.  
" She melted my heart and I was able to feel emotions again. I failed the Final Judgment."  
" The Final Judgment?"  
" A judgment to prove the captor worthy of being the master." Syaoran answered. " It was done by the guardian Yue, who turned out to be one of Sakura's brother's friends, Yukito Tsukishiro. I learned from him that I loved Sakura. Sounds strange, doesn't it?"

Chid didn't reply.

" Afterwards...she died. Along with others-Eriol Hiriingaziwa, the reincarnation of the sorceror who created the cards, Clow Reed. Tomoyo Daidouji, Sakura's best friend. Eriol's two guardians, Ruby Moon and Spinel, were destroyed. The only ones left were Sakura's guardians, Yue and Kero, also died."  
" Would I use her cards after that?" Syaoran paused. " Do you think it would be moral to use her cards after that?"  
" But...why are you letting Hitomi use the cards?" Chid asked.  
" Hitomi is Sakura's reincarnation." Syaoran answered.

  
  
Hitomi stared blankly at Yue.  
" I...I'm not Sakura." Hitomi found her voice.  
" If you say so." Kero answered. " One way you're not Sakura. The other way you are."  
" It's been a long time." Yue stood up steadily, his face void of all emotion. " How did you find the book again? This is not Earth."  
" I come from Earth." Hitomi answered cautiously. " This is Gaea though."  
" Gaea?" Kero looked at Yue.  
" Is Syaoran here?" Yue looked at Van.   
" He's not his reincarnation. Syaoran still feels like Syaoran. Maybe he's still here as Syaoran." Kero answered.  
" Why do I feel a love bond?" Yue seemed slightly perplexed.  
" They're in love, wiseguy." Kero answered. Then he saw Syaoran. " You can't expect a twenty year old to love an eleven year old. Hey kiddo! How are you?"

Syaoran, who had just entered with Chid, found that his legs gave out and he fell to the floor. Chid started and tried to help him up but found that Syaoran was too stunned to help him.  
" K-K-Kero?" He asked weakly. Yue noticed the situation and hurried over to Syaoran.  
" But...but you were dead!" Syaoran was starting to freak out. " You were dead! I saw you two die!"  
" Hush." Yue comforted the child, and they touched foreheads, while Yue whispered to Syaoran.

There was a moment of hushed silence in the room.

Hitomi and Van looked at each other.  
_So this is what you were afraid of?_ Van mouthed.  
_Nani?_ Hitomi answered.  
_I said, this was what you were afraid of.  
Iie. I wasn't afraid of anything.  
Well look! The boy's basically freaking out! He's trembling.  
_  
Hitomi looked at the child and then at Van.  
_What are we going to do?_ Van asked.  
_How am I supposed to know? _Hitomi asked indignantly.  
_Is Yue and Kero coming back a good thing?  
Apparently so.  
Why?  
What do you mean why?_

Yue was looking at them while holding Syaoran in his arms. He knew what they were doing and was vastly annoyed. Kero frowned and decided to concentrate on Syaoran, who was only then quieting. Chid stood to the side away from them, feeling extremely awkward.

When Syaoran finally quieted it had begun to rain.

  
  
" He likes it in his dragon form." Yue told Chid, Van and Allen as he stroked the entire body smoothly from head to tail. " Dragons always have to move when they're awake so he'll fidget some, but he likes it anyway." Yue closed his hands around the dragon's muzzle and shook the little one's head.  
" Isn't that so, Syaoran?" Yue chuckled, still holding the muzzle. " Isn't that so?"  
The dragon made a whale-like whistle and fidgeted again. Yue chuckled.  
" He's more cuddly then you think." Kero grinned. " He's like a kangaroo joey, especially with that head of his. You can carry him in a little bag and he'll poke his sleepy head out from time to time.

Syaoran snapped his jaws at Kero unhappily. The stuffed animal laughed.

Allen smiled. " Well, now he seems less nervous around people with you around."  
" Maybe." Yue answered. " In truth he had always been nervous around people. He had always been a loner. I guess he's just glad we're still alive." He smiled sadly.

Syaoran made a low rumble in his throat and cried out when Van suddenly lifted him. Syaoran blinked and stretched his long thin neck out and touched Van's nose with his snout. Everyone laughed.

Merle watched from the side with her tail twitching in curiosity. Syaoran saw her and hissed. She cringed and blinked.  
" Mreow?" 

Syaoran opened his mouth and out came a squirt of water.

" Hey! Not fair!" Cried the drenched cat. " How are you able to do it from so far away?"

Syaoran closed his eyes.

Yue chuckled, but Allen saw that there was a sadness in his eyes, and heard a note of sorrow in the laugh. He seemed to know something the rest of them did not.

  
  
Hitomi woke up to Millerna shaking her.  
" Huh? Nani?" She blinked, rubbing her eyes.  
" Look out." Millerna pointed. Hitomi looked out the window.

Red.

Everything was red.

Night wasn't supposed to be red.  
" Kuso." Hitomi swallowed. She knew what this meant. _Ohh_ she knew what this _meant._

This is bad. She thought to herself as she hurriedly got up and dressed as fast as she could, while giving instructions to Millerna.  
" Wake the others. Tell Van that the Phoenix is here. Tell Yue to hide Syaoran. Oh shoot oh shoot oh shoot..."

She went out as soon as she finished, taking her tarot cards and the precious Sakura book with her. She stood over the stairs and looked down. All was calm.

Suddenly, out came a lion, followed by a Draconian-like figure, then she saw Van and Allen rushing out. She hurried down the stairs towards Van.  
" Van!" She called. Van turned around.  
" Hitomi!"  
" Van, whatever you do, don't get Escaflowne!" She cried.  
" Nani?" Van blinked, surprised. " Why?"  
" You'll ruin Syaoran!"

Before she had time to explain any further, a shadow whipped past them, robes flapping. The two followed.

  
  
Outside the sky was as red as dawn and the air was chilly and cold. Syaoran leaped onto a horse.  
" Jia!" He kicked at its sides. Hitomi gasped, and Van mounted another horse, and pulled her up behind him. Hitomi found it hard to hold the book and onto Van at the same time, but she really had no choice. They galloped through the misty woods, not knowing where Syaoran was going.

There was a flash of lightning, and a dark, golden cloud loomed overhead. Syaoran suddenly stopped and dismounted. He looked up to the sky, and was extremely still for a long moment.

Lightning struck. Syaoran ripped out something and blocked it. Hitomi took a moment to notice it was a silk fabric, one of those that are used for the Chinese dances.

_What in the world?_ She thought to herself. Van was thinking the same thing.

Syaoran leaped into the air and hovered there for a moment. Something appeared from the clouds. Hitomi could not see much of that figure, except he was dressed in dark gold and silver. She could not see that person's face, but the eyes and the long hair were clearly visible. They were strands of golden hair. The eyes were clear blue. But that person did not look a bit like Allen.

Syaoran, on the other hand, could see that person clearly. His head felt less free because his hair had grown slightly longer, making him less boyish, but that small length still was to his disadvantage. He felt everything still for a moment as he studied the man who ruined his life. 

The Dark Phoenix was a handsome man. He had long golden hair that reached his shoulderblades and large blue eyes that glow in the dark like Syaoran's brown or gold ones. He had a strong chin and high cheek bones, a tall nose and a high forehead. His eyes tilted upwards at the outer ends and were far apart, under thick dark eyebrows. He was a tall man, broad shouldered. An example of a hero or a villain.

The phoenix drew out a sword and Syaoran hovered away a little, ready. The phoenix charged. Syaoran lashed out with the fabric and it entwined at the man's arm. The god tried to cut it with his sword but the sword only slipped past the fabric and did not hurt it.

Syaoran drew the fabric back. He pulled the phoenix with it for a little, off balancing it. The man was surprised. Syaoran twirled in the air and the two fabrics danced off the man, quickly tangling him. Syaoran twirled the other way, diagonally, and the Phoenix was tangled even more. He pulled the fabric back and kicked, sending the man backwards. The fabrics disentangled and the phoenix god fell back.

Van thought that this was the most bizarre kind of battle he had ever seen in his life, yet it made sense. Syaoran's fabric didn't seem to be effected but swords, and it proved to be a good rope. In his heart he cheered. Syaoran was as good a fighter as he was in dragon form. Speaking of dragon...

He remembered how Syaoran was as a dragon. Long and thin, completely flexible. No wonder he used the fabric.

_Clever._ He thought, amazed. _Clever. Clever._

At each attack, Syaoran blocked with the fabric, and attacked with the fabric, tangling and untangling to weaken the opponent. From afar, it seemed like some airborne dance, between the graceful child and the clumsy warrior.

The Dark Phoenix had had enough. He spout out flames from his hands. Syaoran flew up and batted them away, but realized that the attack is strong and will get stronger. He felt a well of panic in his stomach. He had never used his immortal powers for battle.

The Dark Phoenix through another attack and this time the fabrics were destroyed. Syaoran felt a pain in his left leg and he almost fell down several meters, but thankfully he got over the pain. He blinked, and saw a dark shadow coming at him. He closed his eyes, willing it to leave.

The Dark Phoenix was stunned. How did the boy manage to do that? He saw the child open his eyes and find that everything was gone. No shadow, no magic. Simply his enemy, standing there.

He saw the child's eyes widen, then narrow. Red light flashed, then slowly dimmed. This time the boy was no longer in green. He was in fire red, his eyes glowing like amber. No longer was he timid now. He was the proud Phoenix.

" Asho na!" He cried, and the Dark Phoenix felt a splitting pain in his skull. Knowing that once the spell took over he will not stand a chance, he quickly withdrew, wondering what just happened.

  
  
Van turned to Yue. " What the _hell_ was that?"  
" That was Syaoran as a Phoenix." Yue snapped, much to both Van and Hitomi's surprise. " We're in for it now. If you anger him, he might do worse then what he did to that Dark Phoenix."

Syaoran, the child Phoenix, landed on the ground in front of them. He looked more angry then anything.  
" What!" He cried at them. " What are you looking at me for? The bastard deserved it!" And with that the child disappeared.

Van turned again to Yue and suddenly found that the guardian looked weary. He swallowed, knowing full well that this wasn't the Syaoran that was shy and timid. That was the dragon. This is the phoenix.

_This is very bad._


	5. Chapter 5

Dragon's Eye, Phoenix' Wing

Chapter 5

He _did_ _not_ want to wake up!

That bastard Phoenix!

Syaoran was in a bad mood. That blasted man killed his family, killed his friends, and he's here _again???!_

Why is that catgirl always around? Why the hell is the Sakura Book on Gaea?

He wanted sorely to just destroy everything in his path at that moment, and he could, actually, but he had never tried before and was afraid to anyway. What if he went snap and nothing happened? Then others would laugh at him.

  
  
" Iie, I usually like him less as a phoenix." Yue told Allen as they sat down in his room. " He's usually short tempered and very fidgety. He gets mad at nonsense, and he's violent, most of all. He probably wouldn't hesitate to use his fire magic on someone. So iie, I don't like him that much. As a dragon, I can feel sorry for him. He was actually adorable as a dragon. As a phoenix, well..."  
" Why did he transform into a phoenix?" Allen asked. " He seems to like it better as a dragon."  
" He does. But the truth is, when he gets scared, the phoenix side takes over. The dragon side blocked the blow and he was too stunned, so in order to continue he was forced to transform. It's hard to get him to go the other way now."  
" Why?"  
" Phoenixes are proud." Came Millerna's voice from the other room, and Allen immediately understood.  
" So how does he go back?" Allen asked.

Yue hesitated. " Water."  
" Water?"  
" Hai."  
" What do you mean?"  
" He's afraid of water."  
" Do you mean he's afraid to...swim?"  
" Iie. He's afraid of water. Drinking water, rainwater, pondwater, seawater. He's afraid of water, end of question."  
" Oh...why?"  
" He's a phoenix. He's made of fire. He gets hurt by water. Small drops wouldn't kill him, but if he gets completely dunked into water, he'll turn to black ash."

" So...you scare him."  
" Hai." Yue nodded, picking up the book from the desk. " What's this?"  
" A record."  
" A record? Yours?"  
" Iie. I borrowed it. It records everything. Of everything that happened in Austuria, mostly, but also the rest of Gaea."

Yue skimmed through the pages. " I can't read." He shook his head. " I don't understand these words. Strange and old, though, sort of like Chinese. Maybe this is Chinese."

At that, Syaoran decided to come in. Allen took a moment to register that the strange looking bird _was_ Syaoran, and that it had actually fitted through the door. Yue jumped up.  
" Nani!" He cried. " You've never done that before!"

Syaoran answered with a fierce peck on his head before jumping onto the table. Yue rubbed his head for a moment, a little bit startled at that move, and confused at whether he should be angry or embarrassed. He sat down feeling smug.

Allen was more startled then Yue and was less able to handle it. He immediately stood up. Syaoran glared at him with his bird eyes and transformed into a boy again.  
" Weirdo." He muttered, suddenly appearing by the window. " I can't find Kero anywhere. Where the hell is he?"

_He curses a lot in this form._ Allen thought to himself. _He's in a bad mood. _

" He's downstairs with Hitomi." Yue answered, still rubbing his head.

Syaoran disappeared without even so much as an " arigatou".

" How rude." Allen nodded. Yue sighed.  
" Well? What can one do? That's one reason why Syaoran tries not to be a phoenix. He use to be kind of like that before his dragon side woke, but as a phoenix he's worse. Sometimes he tries to blend the two together so he wouldn't have two different personalities. He never had a chance to though."  
" Why?"  
" The Clow Clan died." Yue answered flatly. Allen didn't answer.

  
  
Van and Hitomi sighed.  
" Well? What else can I call you? Stuffed bear, maybe?" Syaoran snapped. " I want it _NOW._ Quite frankly I don't have much patience with you right now, so you might as well before I decide to fry you to a crisp."  
" Oh yeah?" Kero shot back, transforming immediately. " Let's see you do it!"  
" Matte!" Hitomi ran between them, immediately stopping the two. " Don't start this, alright? Just give it to him, Kero. We don't want burnt houses, or burnt children, for that matter."  
" I'm not a _child." _Syaoran scoffed.  
" Then Man, if you want. You're not that either." Hitomi snapped. " Just give him the cards, and let him do it. The worst he could do is use it to turn you into a bunny."  
" No _way!_" Kero shouted.  
" Kero-chan!" Hitomi pressed her hands to her hips. " Don't make me do anything to you!"

Kero pouted and handed the book over to Syaoran. Taking it triumphantly, Syaoran disappeared without even thanking them.

" How rude." Van began. Kero plopped down on the floor.  
" He's always so irritating as a Phoenix." The guardian said. " Especially since we're both fire, so he's always competing against me. As if I could outgo against him!" He sniffed, completely disgusted. " I want the old Li Syaoran, the Dragonchild back."  
" That makes three of us." Hitomi answered, pushing back her long hair from her face. " But according to history, it wouldn't be anytime soon."

  
  
" Hey Syaoran-kun." Merle leaped onto the table. " Whatcha doing?"  
" Go away Merle." Syaoran growled.  
" Syaoran!!" Merle whined.  
" Nani!" Syaoran stood up, annoyed. " Would you please leave me alone?"  
" But what are you doing?"  
" I need to find some way to destroy that blasted pigeon." Syaoran answered, referring to the Dark Phoenix. " That phoenix wannabe. Now, leave me alone."  
" But I want to watch."

Syaoran suddenly paused. " If you don't leave me alone, Van will leave you."  
" Huh? What are you talking about?" Merle asked.  
" Well," Syaoran looked at her, glaring. " If you don't leave me alone, I won't be able to do this right. And if this turns out wrong, Fanelia would be, quite frankly, gone. Imagine what Van would look like in pieces? Oh, maybe his arm here, his legs, there is his head, all floating in a bloody soupy puddle. How would you like that?"  
" Van is a good warrior." Merle sniffed. " That will never happen to him."  
" To hell with good warriors! We're doing with a god here." Syaoran answered. " You will never see Van again. He'll be white as snow and you'll have to burn him and scatter his ashes on the ground. Then whenever you wake up you will never wake up knowing that Van will be there when you go downstairs. When you're alone at home you'll never be able to know that Van is coming home victorious. When you're at war you'll never have Van tell you that everything's alright."

While he was saying this Merle's eyes welled up with tears. The door opened to Allen and Yue, who suddenly stopped at the last comment.

" Oh, I'm sure you'll be happy." Syaoran snapped. " Knowing that it's _your_ fault that Van died, and oh, even better. That it's _your_ fault that Van died a _humiliating_ defeat. That's right Merle! And maybe you can wear his crown for that matter! And stop crying! You're making me sick."  
" Van-sama!" Merle leaped off the chair and rushed out. Van came in by the other door and was nearly knocked over.  
" Van-sama, you won't leave me, right?" Merle sniffed into the Fanelian King's chest. Syaoran cocked an eyebrow.  
" What the hell?" He turned away. " I don't understand that blasted kitten."  
" Syaoran told me that you might leave me. That you can die and I'll never see you again, and, and, and-"

" Syaoran." Yue began darkly.  
" Oh, don't start." Syaoran snapped.  
" Remember who you're talking to." Yue answered.

Syaoran paused for a moment.   
" So, what is this Moon Guardian going to do?" He asked.

" This." Yue tossed his arm out. A wave of water headed towards Syaoran. A bird like shriek turned into a low whistle. When the water stopped flowing, a small dragon was curled up, his head staring at them, clicking.

Merle was still crying and Van was trying his best to comfort her. Yue's eyes softened.  
" Come here, Syaoran. I'm glad to see you're yourself again. Even as a Phoenix you're still upset about the whole thing, hai?"  
" Drdrdrdrdrl." Syaoran turned into a boy and dropped to one knee, his body hunched over. He heaved a deep sigh. Yue went over to him, followed by Allen and Kero.

" Gomen nasai." Yue rubbed the child's back. " I had to do that."  
" I know." Syaoran sighed. " The bad thing is I almost preferred being a Phoenix. It lessens the pain."  
" I understand." Yue answered gently. " Come, get up. You're tired."  
" I'm not tired." Syaoran stood up. " Just shakened. But I am _so_ hungry."  
" Just as well." Allen answered. " Considering how frail you are. Millerna told me you lost even more weight."  
" Food!" Kero cried. " I'm up for it, oh yeah."  
" I'm not." Syaoran suddenly said. " I don't want to eat anything."  
" You just said you were hungry." Said the blonde.  
" Hai, but that doesn't mean _I want_ to eat."  
" What do you want to eat." Yue asked dully.  
" Chinese food." Syaoran muttered. He was answered with a thunk on the head from Kero.  
" We don't _have_ any Chinese food around here, wiseguy." Kero scolded. " We have Asturian food, Fanelian food, Mauralian food, Gazilian food-"  
" You're making those up." Syaoran sniffed. " I don't want to eat, basically. Is there anything that can get this stomach to quiet down?"

Allen answered by stuffing a piece of bread into Syaoran's mouth. The child, surprised, gingerly took it out and bit into it more politely. Yue was certain this was the Dragonchild.

  
  
Van was angry at Syaoran. How could he!

But Hitomi calmed him and told him that Syaoran really couldn't have helped it.   
" As a Phoenix," She explained, " Syaoran replaces sorrow with anger. That's why he said all those things to Merle-he's still distressed about his past and anger was what he felt and he dumped it all on Merle. Don't do anything rash."

So he didn't. He went to find Syaoran though, to note that Allen Schezar, the polite, wonderful knight at arms that respected chivalry, just stuffed a piece of bread into a child's mouth?

Things had been going weird lately.

  
  
King Chid found Syaoran in his room...sewing.

And Syaoran wasn't sewing in a chair either. He was sewing while lying on the bed, his head propped up with pillows in the most undistinguished manner.

" You know how to sew?" Chid blinked, dropping the mannerism.

Syaoran didn't answer. He went on stitching.

Chid noticed.

" Daijoubu?" He asked, coming nearer. " Did...something happen?"

The Dragonchild sighed and kept sewing. " You know I was a Phoenix several hours ago, hai?"  
" Hai...what happened? Did you insult someone by accident?" Chid asked. " They all know it's because of your temper, you know."  
" I can care less if I insult someone." Syaoran muttered. " It's not that I'm worried about. When I was a Phoenix I spoke with Merle."  
" Did you get angry with her?"  
" Hai."  
" Oh."  
" When the Clow circle died," Syaoran suddenly began, " They didn't just die all at once. The first person to go was actually Eriol. That day...that day was actually a beautiful day. The sky was bright blue, the sun was shining, the clouds floated overhead and there was a light breeze. It was rather warm and we were outside having a picnic."

__

Syaoran looked up. " So?" He asked. " Come on, don't tell me you don't know how."  
" Of course I know how to play poker." Eriol smiled. " The only thing is, it depends too much on luck. I'm not lucky with games and such, unless it's a sport game, so I usually lose."  
" I don't mean the poker they play in casinos." Syaoran explained. " I mean Chinese poker. Let's see, we have Touya, me, Sakura, Tomoyo, you, that's five, right? Then we have Yukito. That's six. Ruby and the guardians can watch."  
" Why do we need six?" Sakura asked.   
" It's this way." Syaoran smiled. " My sisters and I always play with our mom. You have two decks. We have teams. We have three black cards and three red cards and we each draw a card. The reds are a team, the blacks another. This is how we play-the A's are the largest, the twos are the smallest, and the diamonds smallest and spades largest..."

  
  
" So we played poker for several hours because we weren't really in a hurry to go anywhere after eating so much. We were planning to stay for several days because it was summer vacation, and we had a lot of time. There were places to go but I just wanted to show them how to play. After several hours we packed up and went hiking."

__

" Ano...Eriol?" Syaoran began. " What was that?"

The other boy hesitated. The others stopped hiking.  
" Hai, I sense it too." Sakura looked puzzled. " It feels familiar somehow."  
" But it's gone." Syaoran blinked. " Since we all felt it it couldn't just be me. I have a nasty feeling about this."  
" Don't worry. You have us to protect you." Kero chuckled, but the chuckle held little humor.  
" Very funny." Syaoran answered. But he felt troubled. The aura felt exactly like the Shadow of Death.

  
  
" We waited for a while before continuing, deciding that whatever it was was gone. How wrong we were. For a long time we climbed. There was a sudden burst of flames."

_" What was that!" Touya cried, falling backwards as flames struck right in front of him.  
" By the name of Zeus! And I hope it's only Zeus!" Eriol ran up. " Who are you?"_

In front was several shadows. Their dark eyes glowed black and they raised their arms in unison. The sky suddenly turned black as night. Syaoran shrieked at an unknown fear.

" We fought them for a long time." Syaoran told Chid. " In the end I used one of my dragon powers and they fled, but I was too late to save Eriol. He received a mortal wound and the following morning passed away."

" The next ones to go were Ruby Moon and Tomoyo." Syaoran swallowed. " It was at Eriol's funeral. A shot rang out and Tomoyo was killed instantly. Ruby Moon turned and we all saw the same sorcerors.

__

" What do you want?" Syaoran cried. " What do you want from us?" Crowds of panicked individuals swarmed away from them. They were alone. They were vulnerable.

The sorcerors did not answer. Instead they raised their hands again in unison. Lightning flashed, the sky again turned black, and this time Syaoran turned into a phoenix. With his fire powers flames surrounded the group, protecting them from the sorcerors. But the sorcerors used water.

" I was unconscious for five days." Syaoran whispered. " Five days. And when I woke up Kaho broke the news to me. She told me that Tomoyo-chan is dead and Ruby Moon was caught by the water, which sent her to the flames I created and burned to death."

" Several days later, Spinel Sun and Kaho came home possessed. They tried to take me. I asked them, why are they doing this?"

  
  
_" By the orders of the seven Deities, we have come to destroy the Phoenix Dragon." Kaho answered. _

Syaoran stepped back. He pushed Sakura out, and suddenly he told her in a hurry to use the Fly Card.  
" What about you?"  
" I'm coming with you!"

The children rose into the air and rode the winds. Behind them Kaho rode on Spinel Sun. Syaoran turned around and fired an arrow as a warning shot, but they kept coming.  
" We can't fight them!" Sakura cried.  
" What are we going to do then?" Syaoran shouted, distressed. A thermal shock rocked the air and they were thrown off balance and lost altitude. The two were separated.

  
  
" Two days later I went in search of Sakura. I found that the reason Kaho and Spinel were possessed was because they were dead already. If we had fought them I probably would have saved Sakura. But we didn't fight. We ran instead. And Sakura I found in the water." He looked at Chid. " The fish ate their fill. She was clean, clean to the bone, but I knew it was Sakura because none of the fish touched her pendant. I got out of there. I didn't even give her a burial. I didn't even cry. I was so scared. I ran to Yue weeping telling him what I saw and he abandoned me there in heartbreak. The next day I went over to Touya's home in sorrow and he comforted me the best he could. There was nothing to say."

  
  
  
" So how is Merle?"  
" Oh, you know cats. They get over things very quickly." Van sat down beside Allen. " How long do you plan on staying?"  
" Well, longer then expected, ever since this Dark Phoenix came along." Allen explained. " I've been meaning to ask you, why didn't you take out Escaflowne? Were you afraid that it will get hurt?"  
" As a matter of fact, iie." Van answered. " That was the last thing I cared about. Hitomi said something quite strange...something about if I wished Syaoran to live I cannot help him."  
" What could she mean by that nonsense?" Allen asked.  
" She means," Syaoran appeared at the end where the hall connects to the large room, " That if you brought Escaflowne with you that I, literally, would be dead right now."

Van and Allen looked at each other.  
" What _is_ that blasted thing?" Syaoran asked. " Every time I go near it I lose my powers. It's a good thing you listened to Hitomi."  
" You lose your powers?" Van blinked. " Why would Escaflowne take your powers? Maybe because of the dragon heart..."  
" Dragon heart?" Syaoran thought for a moment. " Ah. You slayed a dragon. That's how you became connected. I see." He thought for a while longer before turning around and disappearing.  
" What could he mean?" Allen asked. Van looked after him and said nothing.

  
  
Yue looked over the land. It was nighttime, his favorite time of the day. Night was longer here because the entire day was longer. Gaea was larger then Earth, anyhow.

" Syaoran sometimes leans out the window when he was with me." Yue told Hitomi. " I don't know if you ever saw that. He told me that he usually does that at his apartment, at his house in Hong Kong. Except in winter, of course. He feels that the night is quiet and calm and soothing. Just like me."  
" Seems like you two have a lot in common."  
" That's because we both have Moon magic." Yue answered. " Now he has all the magic."  
" He's afraid of it."  
" Who wouldn't? The child cannot handle his powers properly yet. Which is another reason why he prefers to be as a dragon."  
" He's very intelligent."

Yue looked down over the land again, the wind making his hair flap.  
" Hai, he is intelligent." The guardian said softly. " He had always been and we never doubted that. There was always something about him that was different, that made him stand out, that made him solitary."  
" Solitary? I don't understand."  
" No doubt Sakura was the first friend he really ever had." Yue answered Hitomi. " He was in truth, very shy. He always had the solemn look on him, as if he had suffered all the pain in the world already. But that time he was strong enough to handle that. Look at him now. He's all skin and bones. I fear for his life."

Hitomi watched Yue for a moment.  
" You weren't so affectionate towards him in the beginning." She began.

At this Yue did not answer for a long time. Hitomi briefly wondered. Was it because he was feeling guilty? Or was it because he really had nothing to say?

  
Nighttime. Syaoran was in the Great Hall, sitting crosslegged on the floor. The reason he was in the big hall was because naturally, he needed a lot of space, and his room was too small and too short.

Iie. That was directly translated from Mandarin. It shouldn't be called short. It should be called low.

But not withstanding, the room was too small and he needed a big room. And he needed privacy too.

Everyone was asleep, even Yue, who didn't know he had crept out of his room at night. If he did, perhaps Yue would have stopped him. Everyone was getting paranoid about him committing suicide. Syaoran couldn't understand why. They have each other. He's just a bother.

Right now he knew he couldn't just draw the sword and just do it because they had a Dark Phoenix to master.

The Dark Phoenix. Syaoran sat on the floor, his mind empty of everything. From time to time something about that phoenix would come to mind. The name, Xyza. Where he came from. The black hole.

He really wasn't focusing on the Dark Phoenix though. The Dark Phoenix was the least of his worries right now. Right now he was focusing on mingling his Phoenix and Dragon selves.

From time to time he would sense his Phoenix side with all its pride and anger. It was too proud to shed tears. Yet it was distressed at the death of so many it loved. He would feel his dragon self. It was depressed and often felt too hopeless to cry. But he wasn't concentrating on his emotions. He was concentrating on the powers.

He felt the Phoenix' ability to control fire. Felt it wield the power of the sun. He felt the energy it held, the light and powers of destruction. The phoenix was built to destroy.

He felt the Dragon's ability to control water and wind. Felt both creatures rule the skies. He felt the energy the dragon held, powers of creation. The Dragon was what created everything and can create even more. But just as it created everything, it can also destroy.

_Dragon Phoenix._  
_Phoenix Dragon.  
Dragon Phoenix.  
Phoenix Dragon.  
Fire, Water,  
Feng Shui,  
Long Feng._

  
  
Yukito and Van ventured cautiously down the stairs.  
" I don't think he's doing it." Yukito whispered. " In fact, his aura is growing."

Van, who could not sense any of what Yukito was talking about, did not say anything.

The two of them opened the door silently.

  
  
Syaoran felt his powers mingle. He was doing it! Just a little further-

Creaaaaak!

Jumping, startled out of his trance, he blinked at the doorway. Yukito and Van! What are they doing here?

" Oh! Gomen nasai!" Yukito said hurriedly, then shooed Van out and closed the door. The boy knew what he was doing.

But it was already too late. The mood was ruined, not to mention that Syaoran was already very tired. He sat there dumbfounded in the darkness. He had come so close. So close. He wanted to continue.

He was too tired. He was too sleepy. He'll have to save it for the morrow. 


	6. Chapter 6

Dragon's Eye, Phoenix' Wing

Chapter 6

A birdlike cry.

Yukito blinked out of his daze and looked out the window. Oh shoot.  
" Syaoran, is that what you became?" He muttered, watching the Phoenix circle in the air. " I thought you were almost finished." He sighed and fetched his glasses.  
" Oh shoot, the nail got loose." He looked at it for a moment. " I'll have to ask Hitomi to help me with this. Since when did I become so nearsighted? I was usually able to see something at least without glasses." He groaned.

Getting up he looked around for Hitomi. He found Millerna instead.  
" Hitomi, can you help fix my glasses?"  
" Wow, Hitomi's right. You are blind. You're not Yue though...you're Yukito...or is it Yuki? I don't know. I don't know how to fix these things."  
" Just find a screw and turn it."  
" Screw?"  
" Never mind. Where is Hitomi, Millerna?"  
" Ah...downstairs eating breakfast with the boy, who just came in around two seconds ago."  
" Oh, I see. Millerna?"  
" Yes, Yukito?"  
" Can you help me down the stairs? I can't _see _it."

Syaoran grabbed a piece of bread and proceeded to walk out. A hand reached out and grabbed his sleeve.  
" Where are you off to? You can't eat only _that_ for breakfast." Van grumbled. " I thought you were mingling your powers."  
" I was, until you came along." Syaoran swallowed the bread. " Then I got too...tired."

Van was about to say " I told you so", but then Hitomi interrupted.  
" Speaking of tired," She yawned. " I am so tired!"  
" You know, they say " early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.'" Syaoran blinked. " That's an American saying, anyways. Well, you went early to bed and you were early to rise. You neither healthy, wealthy, nor wise. One can only conclude that you're not a man."

Hitomi didn't stop as to how little sense that statement made, but more at the fact that Syaoran just insulted her and all the rest of the women. Then she realized that Syaoran didn't insult anyone but just cracked a joke.

_The Phoenix just cracked a joke._

Syaoran smirked, taking a chicken leg and marched out proudly with a dumbfounded Hitomi looking after him.  
" By the way!" He called back without turning around, " Help Yukito-san fix his glasses!"

  
  
" There we go." Hitomi said and handed the glasses back to Yukito. " Where's Kero-chan?"  
" Probably with Merle. Those two are inseparable." Yukito groaned.  
" You don't say!" Hitomi sat down. " I need a run. My legs are sore from lack of use."

Yukito cocked an eyebrow. " You can jog around the lake if you want, but then people will think you're weird.  
" Ah, finally caught up on Gaean Philosophy." Syaoran seemed suddenly happy that day. Very happy for a Phoenix.  
" I caught up on it long ago." Yukito patted the boy's head. Then he reached up and wrapped his arm around the child's neck and pulled him down. Syaoran tumbled into his lap.  
" Ow." Syaoran muttered as Yukito let him go. " Where in the world did you learn that?"  
" I knew it from Touya." Yukito answered. " You ought to eat more. One slice of bread and a chicken leg is not enough calories."  
" Calories! Do they even measure these things in calories up here?" Syaoran blinked.  
" If you don't like that, how about chocolate? You desperately need one, toothpick."  
  
Syaoran shot Yukito a glare and gingerly took the bar of chocolate that Yukito happened to have. He bit it and munched on it in silence.  
" So, what happened?"  
" You guys interrupted. What do you mean, what happened?" Syaoran sniffed.  
" Oh, Gomen nasai. See? You need calories." Yukito absently rocked the boy on his lap. Syaoran growled.  
" I'm going to have to try again tonight." He muttered.  
" Try again tonight. That way we won't have to deal with your Phoenix side or try to hurt you with water."

Syaoran sniffed.  
" Hmph." He tried to get off Yukito's lap but Yukito trapped him by wrapping his arms around his waist.

Hitomi giggled. This was kawaii!

  
  
Van plunged the sword into empty air.

He was thinking about Hitomi and Syaoran. Hitomi, the reincarnation of someone who died around fifty years ago. Syaoran, the heartbroken child that just fell into their laps.

" You know, that would be considered clumsy to the Dark Phoenix." 

Van turned around and Allen did also, surprised at the voice.  
" What are you doing here, Syaoran?" Van asked. He was feeling embarrassed at how Allen had dodged the blow.

Syaoran, the Phoenix Child, replied in the most surprising manner.  
" Wow, that is one _great_ sword!"

And thus the boy showed Van what he meant. Flipping and grasping Van's sword at the same time, he twirled it in circles fast enough to block any arrow, fast or slow.  
" Ow, this sword is heavy." Syaoran shook his wrist. " But it's so shiny! And it's so sharp I can _see it._" He plunged the sword through Allen's blade and it shattered.

" Oops."

Allen looked at his shattered sword for a moment and then laughed.  
" I certainly didn't see that coming." He smiled. " Looks like the boy is a better fighter then even you, Van Fanel."

Van wasn't especially unhappy with that comment for some reason.  
" He's better then you, that's for sure." Van laughed. " I have never seen anyone break your sword like _that_."

Allen smiled, greatly pleased. " Of course, now I have to get a new sword."  
" Just as well." Syaoran tossed the sword to Van. " Ow! The thing strained my arm. I'm never using that sword again! But then again," Syaoran looked unhappy. " I can't use a big sword anyhow."  
" How big is yours?" Allen suddenly asked.

At this Syaoran blushed a deep red and said nothing. Van saw his chance.  
" Well? Is that partly why you used those two cloth things?"

" It's more of a dagger!" Syaoran mumbled, taking out the sword, still sheathed, and gave it to Allen.  
" Yoshi!" Allen laughed. " Kawaii! I would think this was a dagger! Daijoubu, light and small. This is kawaii!"  
" Let me see that!" Van caught the tiny sword. " I would think this was a toy. Mighty sharp though." He felt the tip. " Ow. I say again, mighty sharp. But this is kawaii, as Allen had said. It's perfect for the little guy."  
" Hmph!"

The two men laughed at the poor child who was being ruthlessly teased. Van lifted the child, who cried out with surprise, and twirled him around.  
" The sword is as light as you are." Van laughed, " And that's saying a lot. If you want to wield an actual sword, you'll need to eat. Come along."

The whole practice between Allen and Van was forgotten as the three of them went into the kitchen for some snacks.

  
  
" Wow, he actually likes it!"

Hitomi was right. Syaoran really liked the soup and was eating it in a rather fast pace ( not that it was extremely fast for Millerna's liking).   
" It's not good for fattening up though." Millerna frowned. " He needs to gain at least twenty pounds until he gets healthier."  
" Hear that Syaoran?" Kero shoved him, the stuffed animal strangely not fighting over the food. " You need to gain a few pounds! With an appetite like yours, you won't gain a few pounds. You'll keep on losing. If only this world has chocolate."  
" Shizuka ni, stuffed animal." Syaoran wacked Kero's head. " With all your babbering I wouldn't be able to eat anything, let alone gain a ' few pounds', as you say."  
" Hey, when I'm yapping, you can still eat. Shut up and eat yourself."

Syaoran paused at the illogical sense Kero had just made and Kero growled at him. Syaoran giggled, ( of course he'll never admit it, being a phoenix) and went on eating.

  
  
Syaoran sat once again in a meadow this time. He needed to be away from stares and whisperings and this time he had to do it right.

He heard the shriek of the Phoenix.

The song of the dragon.  
  
He felt the beat of feathered wings.

The dance in the wind.

_Come closer._

A shriek and a cry.

Beating and twisting of body and wings.

A drop of water.

Syaoran breathed in the night air and the scent of trees.

_Come closer. Mingle._

He felt a tingling sensation. He let loose his aura. Auras.

_Tsseeereee!_

Haoooooo...

Syaoran jerked suddenly as pain filled him. The Dragon's water burned at the Phoenix's fire and the fires shriveled at the water. He screamed an agonized scream as a white light blinded his closed eyes and a roaring filled his ears. He screamed again as every muscle clenched and he twisted in agony. Golden wings split his back and the pain increased, ever growing-

  
  
" Ohayo, Syaoran." Merle called. " Where did you get those purple robes? They look pretty. Did Millerna and Allen give them to you?"  
" Oh, of course not." Syaoran rolled his eyes. " They don't have children. Chid does not have these clothes." He looked down at himself.

He wore an outer robe that was sleeveless-or actually, it was more of a tunic without buttons and outlined in white. The tunic had no belt though, so it was basically shapeless, and it was pale purple. Underneath he had a white, loose sleeved shirt and white loose pants. On his head was a simple hat that was outlined with the same shade of purple as the outer tunic.

" You look like an apprentice of a priest." Yukito adjusted his glasses as he came down the hall. " I wanted to say that to you last night, but you were unconscious."  
" Arigatou for carrying me here." Syaoran felt a little hesitant. " When did you find me?"  
" The scream gave a good clue." Yukito answered. " Are you alright?"  
" Hai. I'm fine."  
" That's good to know. Are you affected by Escaflowne now?"  
" I didn't try yet." Syaoran swallowed. " I was on my way."  
" You scared the wits out of him!" Kero scolded Syaoran, referring to Yue. " He thought you were dead!"  
" Shizuka ni." Yukito batted Kero away. " Let's go off to Escaflowne. Maybe if you want to get back at Van for playing with your sword, you can actually go in there and try to work Escaflowne out."  
" I'm not going in there." Syaoran muttered. " It feels like a cage. It's too big too, and the legs and everything are too long. Feels like some sort of cage, and you're tied to the wall, even though the ropes give in to your movements. Iie, I'm not going in there. I'm surprised anyone will."  
" Did anyone ever mention you need a haircut?"  
" Where, may I ask, is the barber?"  
" Yukito's good."  
" And scissors?"  
" Good point." Kero shut his mouth.   
" How odd." Yukito added. " They don't have scissors here."

Syaoran sneezed ( he has been doing that a lot lately, despite Hitomi and Millerna's attempts) and decided he wanted some chocolate milk ( which really isn't chocolate especially since it's white, but it tasted like chocolate) before going to pay Escaflowne a visit. The servant gave him a cup as he argued with Kero and they went off.

  
  
" I don't know." Syaoran cocked his head. " It seems a bit clearer now. Escaflowne does not like me."

Chid looked at Syaoran. " Are you sure? Why do you say that? Van likes you, and the last time I remembered Escaflowne it didn't really have much of an issue with such."  
" You're saying it doesn't have a brain. It's true, actually, iie! What am I saying? I really have no idea about this old suit." Syaoran knocked at the leg. " It is getting me quite stumped here."  
" Why do you think that it doesn't like you?"  
" I don't know. Something about the dragon that Van slayed. " Syaoran looked like his Phoenix self at that moment. " It probably is trying to hold me back because it knows something. But _what?_"  
  
Chid thought for a moment. " How can Escaflowne know anything?"  
" Well, for one thing, it certainly didn't stop the Phoenix from using its powers." Now Syaoran was referring to his past self. " It definetely recognizes the Dragon."  
" Maybe it absorbed your powers."  
" Iie. It couldn't have."  
" Why not?"  
" It simply can't. I had my powers. I just couldn't use them."  
" That hardly makes sense."  
" I don't know. That's the only way I could describe it all. " Syaoran stared at the tall Escaflowne above him.

Chid stared at Syaoran for a moment. " Are you alright?"  
" Huh? What do you mean?"  
" You're trembling."

Syaoran looked at himself. He was. The thing was that he couldn't stop himself. He felt the older boy's arms wrap around him as suddenly his legs gave out. There was a darkness before his eyes and he looked up to find Escaflowne in all its splendor, tall above him, and he wasn't sure if it was trying to protect him or attack him.

  
  
" He just fainted."  
" Is he going to be alright?"  
" He looks so pale."  
" I told you he needs to eat."  
" It's all that stress lately-"  
" Come on! Keep him warm. Look at how cold he is."  
" His pulse is stronger now."

Syaoran opened his eyes weakly to find that he was in his room and Van was looking at him, tucking him in with the blankets.  
" He's awake." Van said quietly. " But by the look he's giving me I think he's not fully conscious yet."

Syaoran stared at Van for a long time without anything clicking in his mind. There was absolutely no thought or emotion in his brain so he stared at Van without recognizing him.

" Hey," Van smiled at him. " Don't worry. You just fainted. You're safe now."  
" Yue?"  
" He's not here right now, he'll be back as soon as he can." Yue was with Hitomi outside the country.

Syaoran blinked. " Uh?"  
" Get him some water!" Van looked over his shoulder. The servant bowed and left. Van sat down beside Syaoran. Kero flew over and perched on his shoulder.  
" What happened Syaoran?" Van asked.  
" I was looking at Escaflowne." Syaoran said after a pause. " And suddenly I heard a voice..."  
" What voice?" Chid asked.  
" It's a deep voice." The child answered. " It wasn't human. It was low and strange and mysterious."  
" What did it say?" Van asked.  
" _Do not use the Dragon's Wind. The Flames of the Phoenix will shield the Mystic Dragon. Once they do you shall remain._"

  
  
  
" Dragon's Wind. The Dragon is supposed to be Syaoran, I think," Hitomi looked at Yue. " Wind is commonly referred to as the Dragon's power, but it might also be an attack. The Flames of the Phoenix can either be Syaoran or the Dark Phoenix."  
" Who is the Mystic Dragon?" Yue asked.  
" I don't know." Hitomi was silent for a moment. " Maybe a god still lives."  
" Another god?" Allen blinked. " I doubt it."  
" Maybe not." Hitomi said quickly, " So don't tell him. Who else can be the Mystic Dragon?"  
" We'll figure this out later." Yue answered. " First we have to reach Akstrone."

  
  
_" Women are always the worst when they're evil." Said the tall man. " Especially that sorceress. She is by no means intelligent but she has ability."  
" Think Syaoran would do?"  
" The child? The child has ability, that is so, but he does not have the strength. He would be at a disadvantage."  
" She's an idiot!"  
" True." Said the tall man. " Yet her ability will distress the wise."  
" We expected no less." Said the smaller figure. " But who should defeat her?"  
" We'll figure this out later." Said the man. " First, we have to reach Akstrone-"_

" Hitomi? Hitomi?"

Hitomi snapped out of her daze. " Nani?"  
" You're in one of those..." Van did not finish.  
" Oh." Hitomi blushed.  
" What did you see?" Allen asked after a pause.

Hitomi hesitated. She wasn't too sure herself.

  
  
_" You dare defy me!" The woman cried. She was tall, fair beyond relief, her skin pale and her hair black, her eyes like burnt coals. She kicked at the lower man, who seemed just as proud as she. The man on the ground rolled over before she could kick and caught her foot. She gasped in surprise, but jabbed her heel into the man.  
" That will be enough, ' prince'." She said in emphasis. " I hope you learned your lesson tonight." She turned around and left. The Prince curled up and forced himself to his feet. His eyes were burning with indignation._

A long time after, the maiden was back again. The man tried to attack her this time but she swung him off like a wet rag. In her hand she carried a whip and there was a distinct ' fwap' before it collided with the man's back.  


  
" Try it." Syaoran said to Chid. " It's very good."

_" Try that again, and you'll get worse for it."_

" Hm." Chid nodded. " What is this made of?"  
" Stawberry cream, flour, chocolate, vanilla cream, and many others."

_ A gasp and a hiss. The man doubled over as the sorceress kicked him in his shin.  
" I will not be so disrespected._"

" You're very good at this." Chid nodded in approval."  
" Where are we going?" Syaoran asked.

_" I do not wish to be here. You can let me go and spare yourself trouble."  
" Do you think I am concerned with your advice?"_

" We're going to Akstrone. It's a kingdom in the east where there are a lot of sorcerors. Perhaps they can help you with Escaflowne and the Dark Phoenix."

  
_" Erandil! He's been killed!"_

  
" Perhaps." Syaoran answered. He looked out the window of the carriage. The mountains passed slowly. The day is beginning to fade. 


	7. Chapter 7

Dragon's Eyes, Phoenix' Wings

Chapter 7

The Dark Phoenix stormed through the hall and arrived in his private chamber. Sitting down, he called for his servants.

" Bring me tea!" He commanded. The satyrs hurried off to bring the angry phoenix tea. The Dark Phoenix sat down.

_ So the child is still powerful, and still has allies._ The spirit sighed. _It will be hard to approach him. Perhaps direct attack will not do. Spies?_

He took the tea and drank, letting the liquid soothe his soul. 

Who would be a good spy?

Someone sweet and charming, with the cunning of a fox. Someone with an innocent cherub face, gentle manner. Someone who was beautiful.

Someone like Sakura...

  
  
" We're here." Chid announced. The city was large. Tall walls surrounded it and many cottages surrounded the fort. Syaoran briefly recognized the feudalistic look to it.

" Is the lord here?" He asked Chid.

Van asked some of the guards. They all shook their heads.

" That's mighty odd." Van said to Chid. " I sent a messengar."  
" Perhaps he did not arrive in time." Chid answered.

The fort suddenly opened. Out stepped a lovely princess, beautiful beyond belief. She wore a crown of jewels. Her hair was black. Her eyes were green. She was tall and pale, fair as snow. A gown of gold shimmered like water, adorned with gems, and threads of gold and silver. She wore rings and bracelets, necklaces of pearls. On her forehead was a golden star.

" Welcome," The princess bowed to the company. " My city and I are pleased to have such guests. My father is not home because he left before we received your message, however I knew he would be pleased."  
" Thank you," Syaoran stepped foreward before either lords could reply, " We thank you greatly for your hospitality, but I fear urgency calls."  
" Hai, I understand." The princess answered. " My name is Hilderna. I am the Princess of Akstrone."

  
  
" I don't like her." Syaoran said to Chid as they sat down in Chid's quarters. " She has this perfect aura about her. It seems too fake for my liking."  
" Just because she's polite doesn't mean she's necessarily untrustworthy." Chid answered. " Look at Allen."  
" Exactly. Look at Allen." Syaoran stood up. " I had no instinct against Allen. His aura was pure. Why do you suppose that I did not like Eriol but I had nothing against Allen? It turned out my instinct was right. For better or for worse, Eriol _was_ hiding something behind that mysterious smile. Allen was not. But this girl, this _princess_, is no doubt hiding something. I see mischief crouching in wait."

Chid looked at Syaoran. " If you truly wanted to see what is going on," the boy began, " Why don't you use your powers?"  
" That's another thing." Syaoran answered. " I can't seem to see through this Hilderna. There is something blocking me."

Chid looked down. " So what are you going to do."  
" I don't know." Syaoran answered, and he looked at Chid. To the lord, it seemed that the Phoenix Dragon had aged, despite he had not grown taller or shorter. Syaoran had a weary look about him.  
" I use to think that just being on my guard would be enough." Syaoran continued. " And for a while it was. But gradually I realized that my guard was beginning to weaken. I was kept on getting taken by surprise. Now, Chid...now I can't even be on my guard. And it's...it's frightening, knowing that all of the sudden I have to depend on others just when there's no one to help me."  
" We're here to help you," Chid answered quietly, hurt by the immortal's words.  
" Perhaps." Syaoran answered. " Let's hope that's enough."

  
  
The Dark Phoenix followed the princess with his eyes. The princess was indeed beautiful, but she was cunning, though not wise. Hilderna looked at him.  
" So you want the boy, and I can have the rest." She answered. " The...Phoenix Dragon, as you say."  
" Hai." The Dark Phoenix nodded. " You can do to the others as you please."

Hilderna smirked. " I like that." She was not smart enough to ask why the Dark Phoenix only wanted the boy.

" How will you do it?" The Dark Phoenix asked.  
" Like I do everything else." The princess smirked.

  
  
" I'm sure he's here," Yue looked around. " There was a sudden darkness about the place."

Syaoran looked up. Yue wrapped his arms around the boy.  
" Don't worry. Whatever happens, we'll protect you." the guardian told the child.

Syaoran sank into Yue's embrace. Yue was an alert guardian. If anything happens, Yue would know. The child allowed himself to relax.

Van entered the room.

" Shh!" Yue warned. The boy had fallen asleep. Van paused, and approached the guardian.

" Bad news." He said to Yue quietly. " Merle said a group of five just entered Akstrone and the princess just went out to receive them. I don't know who they are, but if they're out for evil, Syaoran is doomed."  
" And to think, we're now face to face with our enemies!" Yue sighed. " But tell everyone not to tell Syaoran. The child is too exhausted to bear this. He cannot bear losing his friends the second time, or the possibility."  
" But what are we going to do?" Van asked. " If the princess is actually on evil's side, she'll do something to ruin us."  
" Ruin Syaoran." Yue corrected. " he's the center of this chaos. To refuse food for fear of poison will give our knowledge away. If we leave now we'll also give it away. Syaoran might be able to prevent you being poisoned, but I don't want to worry him. Alright, let's put it this way. Kero and I cannot be affected by poison. We'll be your food testers. We can detect if anything is amiss. Then we'll tell you."  
" What about sleeping potions?" Van asked.

Yue looked troubled. " We won't be affected by that either, but we won't detect it. Those things are clever magic."  
" Will Syaoran be affected?"  
" He's not made of magic."  
" Then what are we going to do?" Van asked.

Yue told him to stay quiet as he tucked the child into his bed.

" Tell Allen, Chid, and the girls to come." Yue answered. " Kero!"

  
  
_" Aww, he's so kawaii," Said a Phoenix. " Too skinny though. Come here, Syaoran, don't be afraid,"_

Syaoran shrank back against a tall woman dressed in purple.  
" It's okay." Said the Dragon. " Her name's Raishim. She's a Phoenix, like you. Come on, she won't bite ( not that she could anyway, with beaks)."

Raishim scowled, then smiled at Syaoran. Syaoran approached her tentatively. Raishim spread her hands out in a welcoming gesture and Syaoran ran to her embrace.  
" There there," the Phoenix smiled. " You're with your family now. Don't worry, nothing will ever happen to you again..."

Hitomi woke up to Van shaking her.  
" Huh?" She blinked. Van let go of her. " What's wrong?"  
" Lots of things." Van whispered. " Akstrone's going against us. Best be on your guard."  
" How?" Hitomi asked flatly. " It's not like I can do karate."

Van blinked. He didn't know what karate was, but he's pretty sure it was a type of fighting.  
" Come with me."

Hitomi got out of bed and drowsily followed Van. They went down the long hallway and Van opened a door.

Syaoran woke up. Van whispered something to Hitomi, and Hitomi nodded. She sat down by Syaoran's bed.  
" What's going on?" The child asked, tension leaking into his voice.  
" It's okay." Hitomi whispered, comforting the child. " Don't worry."

  
  
" One card face down." Kero instructed. Hitomi obeyed.

Kero sighed. " Now flip over the three middle cards with your left hand."  
" Firey, Dark, Glow."  
" The Dark Phoenix. Now flip over the bottom card."  
" Lock card." Hitomi blinked. " Who's locked?"

" What are you doing?" Syaoran blinked, then walked into the room.  
" Trying to figure out what to do using the cards." Kero answered.  
" Hitomi bonded with them already?" Syaoran raised his eyebrows.  
" Kami-sama!" Kero slapped his paw on his head.

For the first time Van heard Syaoran laugh. It was a child's laughter, ringing and happy, but filled with caution. Syaoran was amused.

" So, stuffed animal, Kerberus, Guardian of the Clow Cards, Beast of the Seal, forgot to mention that the cards won't be accurate to the reader unless the reader is their master. Smart move, Kero! I think you just forced Hitomi to waste about whatever time she took to sort out those pieces of paper! Lock Card! Indeed! Did you forget that reincarnations _change_ their auras? Last I remember, Sakura-san did _not_ have the ability to read the future-"  
" Yeah, yeah," Kero looked unhappy. Yue smiled.  
" You could've reminded me!" Kero snapped at the other guardian.  
" I know." Yue answered. " But suddenly I experienced a playful streak. I couldn't resist letting you make a fool of yourself."  
" So right now I just sorted everything out for nothing?" Hitomi asked.  
" Hai!" Syaoran nodded his head and everyone burst into laughter.  
" You stuffed headed stuffed animal!" Syaoran joked, giggling and wacking at Kero. " What kind of baka are you? You are a guardian of these pieces of paper!"

Kero stuck his tongue at the laughing child and said nothing. Chid snorted in amusement.  
" Does Kero always commit these kinds of mistakes?" Chid asked.  
" Hai!" And Syaoran proceeded to tell how he and Kero were chasing the Change Card, and because Kero wouldn't let go, they switched bodies.  
" Nani?" Kero shouted. " You were the one who wouldn't let go!"  
" Excuse me," Syaoran smiled, " I wouldn't let go because I believe you were too small to stop the card. If I let go, Change Card would have brought you along for the ride, but Sakura wouldn't have caught it."  
" Really? You think?" Kero challenged.  
" I know so." Syaoran nodded. " How much do you weight, like four grams? You think the Change Card would be bothered by a four gram stuffed animal?"  
" Hey!" Kero shouted, very much insulted now. Syaoran ducked behind Yue, who separated the two.  
" Don't go around biting the poor child when he's beginning to lighten up." Yue warned Kero quietly. To Syaoran he smiled and rubbed the boy's head. " Don't start getting smug."

Syaoran giggled.

  
  
" So how do you bond with the cards?" Syaoran asked Yue.  
" I'm not too sure anymore." Yue answered. " What should have happened was Hitomi would let the cards escape and gain their respect by capturing them. However, first that's not happening, second, even if it did we don't have the time to go around capturing them one by one."  
" Know what," Syaoran answered, " I'll make an artificial bond. I ought to have some useful powers as a Dragon Phoenix. Phoenix Dragon. Whatever."  
" But don't you need an incantation for that?" Millerna asked.  
" Make one up. It doesn't matter. As long as it rhymes." Syaoran scowled.

Yue and Kero looked at each other and smiled.

" Actually, I don't like incantations. They're too confusing." Syaoran thought for a while. " Hitomi, give me your hand."

Hitomi blinked and gave Syaoran her hand. Syaoran pricked her wrist with a sewing needle.  
" Ow!"  
" Don't whine." Syaoran let the blood drop on to the Sakura Book. The book glowed in response.

Syaoran closed his eyes and concentrated. The blood disappeared through the book. After a while Syaoran opened his eyes and the book stopped glowing. This time it was purple, and instead of the words SAKURA on it, it said HITOMI.  
" Well this is just jolly. Sakura Cards became the Hitomi Cards." Syaoran answered. " As long as I'm alive, for now anyway, these cards will remain loyal to you. As you use them, my influence will gradually be no longer needed, so that even if I do die, the cards, if they find you worthy, will automatically make you their master. But for now you depend on me." He frowned. He moved his hand over Hitomi's wrist and the scratch healed.

" That's the advantage of being immortal, eh?" Allen smiled. Syaoran suddenly froze.

" What's wrong?" Van asked. Merle waved her tail back and forth in apprehension.

The door suddenly opened.  
" Greetings, guests." Hilderna bowed. " I am pleased to find you all here. My father has returned and wishes to invite you all to the banquet along with several new guests I'm sure you'll wish to meet."  
" Many thanks, princess." Allen answered.  
" When the banquet is ready I will call for you." She said.  
" Thank you." Syaoran answered stiffly.

Hilderna's eyes rested on Syaoran and Syaoran stiffened. She smiled, bowed, and left the room.  
" How primitive." Syaoran muttered. " This is like ancient Japan. She's overly polite so she forgets her rank. And I sense magic from her. Too much magic. And also, Chid, you told me there are many sorcerors here. Why don't I sense them?"  
" I don't know." Chid answered. " It's mighty odd."  
" Somehow I don't feel like discussing the Phoenix matters." Van answered. " I don't trust Hilderna."  
" I don't either." Syaoran answered. " But I'm too tired to distrust anyone. Yue, Van, you do all that for me."

Van smiled. " So the boy's taking a vacation, eh?"  
" What do you mean?" Syaoran muttered. " I just feel tired."  
" You need to eat." Cerene answered. " You're too skinny."  
" Oh, that again. Do you think you can do me a favor? Kero, why don't you play spy. Go and check on the princess, and make sure you're not seen. For extra protection, Hitomi, use the small card and make Kero extra small. Whether you'll change him back or not I'll decide."  
" Hey!" Kero cried.  
" Your punishment for goofing with the Sakura Cards-a full day as a mosquito!" Hitomi laughed. " Small Card! Release and Dispell!"

  
  
" Why don't I see any children around here?" Syaoran suddenly asked.  
" Why?" Chid blinked. " Finally decided to earn some friends?"  
" Not funny." Syaoran answered quietly. " Somehow these days on Gaea I've never seen any kid my age. Except you, but you're older."

Chid blinked. " You do want friends."  
" Stop saying that."  
" What, am I not enough for you?" Chid grinned. Syaoran frowned.  
" Stop teasing me."  
" But it's funny."

Syaoran sat down. " Look, I'm not asking for more friends, alright? I never had a lot of friends and the few that I had got killed. So drop it."

Chid realized Syaoran was especially sensitive to this matter and fell silent.

  
  
_" Little seashell floating by,  
Seas are blue and sun is high,  
Little seashell drifts to land,  
Stranded on the golden sand..."_

" Syaoran?"  
" Yeah, Aunt?"  
" What are you singing?"  
" It's a lullaby my mom sang to me when I was a child."

The Dragon sat down next to the little one.  
" Do you miss her?"  
" Yeah. Especially when I realized I never really showed her that I cared. I always turned away from her..."  
" She understands. Your mother is compassionate."  
" But I'm not."  
" Don't say that." The dragon wrapped her arms around the child. " It's only because you didn't fit in. You're different. The only Phoenix and Dragon in all the world. You have the pride of the untamed, yet the tenderness of the gentled. It's a good combination. You're destined to be a great being."

  
  
" Iie." Ray answered as he tilted his head. " I don't think it would be wise. If this...Dark Phoenix is going to attack, we better defend. The Phoenix Dragon sounds important."  
" Who is the Phoenix Dragon?"  
" Hilderna is a baka. How could she make an alliance with the Dark Phoenix?"

The sorcerors were distressed. They knew something bad was going to happen, and it had connections to this Dark Phoenix and Dragon Phoenix. Then there was this girl from the Mystic Moon and her cards...

Tiny Kero folded his arms and floated in the air as the sorcerors murmured before the meeting began.

_Yeah, this is fun._ He thought bitterly. _Syaoran always gets revenge._

One woman went over, her cloak trailing behind her. Kero looked around. There were about sixty or so sorcerors, all powerful, all grumbling. What's wrong with these people?

" Ladies and Gentlemen," The woman who just went over began. " My name is Lorenil. I am the priestess of Akstrone. We are forced to take care that the Lady Hilderna does not hear us, but I will take this time to welcome those of you who had come from abroad to our realm."

There was a silence. Kero scratched his head. What was going on?

" Akstrone received a message several days ago from Fanelia." Lorenil continued. " The letter said that Lord Van Fanel, Lord Chid, and Sir Allen Schezar will come to Akstrone with the girl from the Mystic Moon as well as a being called the Phoenix Dragon. It mentioned that the Dark Phoenix is after the Phoenix Dragon and will undoubtedly ruin the world if he lays his hands upon it. At the same time the Dark Phoenix will destroy anything that prevents it from taking the Phoenix Dragon."

There were murmurs. Kero nodded. Smart Lorenil.

" The letter briefly described that both beings are gods from a separate world and are the two most powerful gods out of the entire immortal circle." Lorenil paused. " However, the Dark Phoenix is evil, while the Phoenix Dragon is young and inexperienced. Lord Van requests our magic as assistance to defend this evil."

More murmurs. Kero tilted his head. How did this woman know so much?

" Lady Hilderna is a fickle and irresponsible sorceress." Lorenil continued. " Had the letter been seen by her, all would be lost. Right now she has made an alliance with the Dark Phoenix. Fortunately, the letter reached me first, and with my magic I was able to modify it so that the Lady would not understand why the lords have come to our realm. This has improved the odds, but time presses. I, representing Akstrone, request that you, the best sorcerors in all of Gaea, to offer assistance to the Phoenix Dragon as well as the lords that brought it, for the fate of Gaea depends on the welfare of that being."

_ Go Lorenil!_ Kero thought.

" Tell us more about this Dark Phoenix." One sorceror said quietly. " That way we know who we're dealing with."

Lorenil paused. " The Dark Phoenix, from what the marks show," Kero wasn't too sure what she meant by that," Was once a powerful Dragon." Kero's mouth fell open. " He somehow angered the rest of the dragons so that they disowned him. The Dragons raised a war against him as he was very powerful, and in the end destroyed him. But his spirit was restless, so he invaded the body of a Phoenix, and drove the original spirit out. Vowing vengeance, he used this Phoenix' powers to its ultimate height. He is capable of turning any planet into a ball of flame and ash. Like the rest of the Phoenixes, he is able to conquer the air. He acquired the loyalty of all beings that are evil, including satyrs, ogres, orcs, trolls, serpents and vultures. But the worst of all was that he lost the weakness that all phoenixes fear-the weakness towards water. No thunderstorm can hinder his flight, no lake would mar him. His flames are no longer capable of being put out."

_ New development, new development._ Kero thought to himself. _First, that Hilderna formed an alliance with the Dark Phoenix. Not good. Second, this Dark Phoenix was a Dragon? How odd! And he can't be harmed by water? Double odd! But bad too!_

There was a silence.

" What of this Phoenix Dragon?" Asked another sorceress. " Who is he?"  
" The Phoenix Dragon is created when a Dragon fell in love with a Phoenix." Lorenil answered. " Somehow the Dragon disappeared-we know not how. The Phoenix mingled with the Li Clan that resided on the Mystic Moon and there the child was born and raised. When the boy was twelve years old the Li clan and the Phoenix were destroyed, how we do not know. Afterwards a quarrel rose between the Dragons and the Phoenix and each tried to claim the child for their own. How this was settled is unclear, but it is obvious that the two sides eventually solved what argument they had and the child was briefly able to travel between the families. A short time later the Dark Phoenix heard of this child's existence and had a plan to acquire the child's power for his own. The Dragons and the Phoenixes hid the boy on the Mystic Moon for fifty years, resulting in their own annihilation. The child has the powers of both the Phoenixes and the Dragons. He can conquer water and fire, wind and earth, lightning and the sky. It is said that his powers are infinete, but the child cannot control them yet."

_ Kuso, the kid's powerful._ Kero thought.

" Is he still a child?" Asked a sorceror doubtfully.  
" Later you will see him." Lorenil answered, " At the banquet, hopefully if the child is not as cautious as his reputation, he will appear."

_ I'll make sure of that. After all, I like these sorcerors._ Kero whipped out of the room.

  
  
" Really?" Syaoran asked. " There were so many?"  
" Many more, no doubt." Yue answered. " And they are powerful. If they are all on our side, then the odds for us are improving."  
" That's good." Hitomi smiled. " And no doubt they can train you."

Syaoran's face fell. " I don't want to train anymore. I'm tired of training for useless things."

Yue rubbed the boy's hair. " Don't worry. I'm sure that this is going to be different. This time they will help you survive, not accomplish anything too..."  
" Rash." Syaoran answered. " Fine. I'll go to the banquet."  
" You have to anyway. Everyone's expectin you." Cerene laughed. Syaoran smiled at Allen's sister.  
" You're different from your brother." He observed.

Cerene giggled.

" Come on," Allen poked his head in. " Syaoran, Hitomi, Kero, Yue, Cerene, come down. They are having the banquet now." 


	8. Chapter 8

Dragon's Eye, Phoenix' Wing

Chapter 8

The banquet was merry. Syaoran was reminded of how banquets probably were in Italy. Everyone was dignified and had a rank. Lords, duchesses, dukes, counts, countesses. All were dressed elegantly. All had magical powers.

Hitomi borrowed one of Millerna's dresses just for this banquet because she was reminded of the stares she received on the first day she came back. Syaoran was content with the stares. He briefly wondered if they knew he was who he was. They probably thought Van was the Phoenix Dragon-but then Van was famous. He's the only one there that looks like...a stranger.

Kero ate at his leisure. Yue refused everything unless Syaoran or Hitomi and company wanted to taste something. Hitomi thought that Yue was being more kind to Syaoran then he did to Sakura. Perhaps because they share something in common. Briefly Hitomi wondered about herself. She was the reincarnation of Sakura, or so the others said. She now had the Clow Book-correction, the Hitomi Book. That might not last long, but she was content with that. As long as everything will be alright again.

What will happen to Syaoran after this? Hitomi thought for a while. Even if he did survive, where would he go? He has no family. Would he stay on Gaea, or will he come with her to Japan again? What is his fate afterwards?

" That's the Phoenix Dragon?" She heard a whisper. Lorenil, as Kero had described her to look, nodded.

" He's so young," Syaoran heard people murmur. " Poor child."  
" How could Hilderna do this?" He heard a sorceress whisper. He looked up to Yue, who was also looking annoyed.

As was the rule, Van, Chid, and Lorenil were seated as honored guests. Syaoran found himself sitting between Yue and Lorenil. He felt afraid of Lorenil. She was a powerful sorceress. But with Yue beside him, Syaoran felt reassured. Yue will protect him. Yue always had.

The King of Akstrone rose and the hall quieted down.  
" Greetings, friends and comrades!" He announced. " I am pleased to see that you have all made it. This banquet was made to honor the arrival of the Phoenix Dragon, who came from the Mystic Moon to help us defeat a great evil. A toast to his health!"

Syaoran paled. He recognized the King. Long golden hair...those eyes...

_The Dark Phoenix..._

Swallowing and forcing a smile, he stood up and lifted his cup. Everyone did the same and drank. Syaoran tasted the wine. Nothing wrong. At least the Dark Phoenix didn't try to poison him yet.

As the " King" went on, Lorenil closed her eyes and focused her thoughts toward Syaoran.

_Child.  
Sorceress.  
You seem afraid.  
The enemy is in the crowd of friends.  
You mean the King.  
I am in peril. We are all in peril.  
Are you afraid?  
Should I be?  
You must tell us the Phoenix's weakness.  
Somehow it is linked with Escaflowne, based on my instinct. Who are you?  
My name is Lorenil Romen. I am the Head Priestess of Akstrone. Do not be afraid._

Syaoran smiled and nodded to the others and picked up his fork.

_I don't care what you do to me.  
Do not think like that, child. We will not harm you. We only wish to protect Gaea, and you as well. Tell us of the Phoenix' weaknesses.  
I am scared.  
I know. But just see what you can remember.  
..._

Syaoran whispered something to Yue. Yue frowned in thought. Then he whispered back. By now the banquet had begun.

_He can't seem to take surprises.  
Oh?  
When I transformed into my Phoenix form, he ran away.  
So the Dark Phoenix is a coward.  
There are also rumors that say he is not resistant to spells...spells like sleeping spells, but I don't know if it's true._

  
  
Lorenil tried to think again, but the " King" turned to her and smiled. Lorenil abandoned her thoughts and proceeded to smile and act as if she had no idea that the King was a false one, or the frightened child was beside her.

  
  
After Syaoran ate enough to satisfy Yue, he got up and excused himself. He went around to Allen, who was sitting a little more to the middle. There a bunch of sorcerors greeted him, but though they were smiling their voices sounded serious and sympathetic.

" What do you know of the Dark Phoenix?" The magician from Harloir asked while offering him one of the fancy dishes, which Syaoran politely accepted.  
" Not much," Syaoran answered, chewing while talking to hide the words, " He's almost invincible."  
" You came from the Mystic Moon?" Asked a sorceress from Lauria.  
" Hai." Syaoran answered.  
" Do they have magic on the Mystic Moon?" She asked.

Syaoran paused. " Hai, but I'm not sure where I can find the sources. I'll have to check soon."

The sorceress nodded. " Two days from now," She said carefully, trying to viel her words and actions from the crowd and the King, " At midnight, we will stop time here. You can return to the Mystic Moon with the new Card Mistress."

Syaoran blinked. They had that kind of power? Well.  
" Arigatou. I will do so." He answered.

  
  
_" Why don't you go out and play?"  
" Play?" Syaoran blinked.  
" Oh," his aunt smiled sympathetically. " You have so many cousins and friends who want to meet you. Here, I'll lead you to them."_

Syaoran blinked. He was unuse to the idea of playing just for the fun of it. Following his aunt nervously, he saw a group of children stop whatever they were doing and stare at him for a moment. Then they all shouted and ran over.  
" Is this the Dragon Phoenix?" One of them asked.  
" He's called the Phoenix Dragon."  
" Dragon Phoenix!"  
" Phoenix Dragon!"  
" Children," His aunt patted his head, " Don't start that nonsense now. He's both a dragon and a phoenix, but he's not both quite yet. Now I want you to behave yourselves and don't get him into trouble. He's quite new to this place."  
" We will!" The children chorused. There were many that were older than Syaoran, and a lot that were younger. Syaoran suddenly felt right at home.  
" Come on Syaoran!" Cried one boy, suddenly grabbing his wrist. " Leo's the seeker. Do you know how to transform?"

Syaoran blushed. He did not.  
" I'll show you, but first, we have to find a place to hide. Count to fifty, Leo!"

" One, two, three, four, five, six, seven,"  
" Hurry," The boy smiled at Syaoran. " They always begin skipping numbers after ten. Let's go!"  
" But how am I supposed to hide?" Syaoran asked.  
" Don't worry!" The boy dragged him behind some trees. " I'll show you!"

  
  
" Earth hasn't changed much." Syaoran's voice was quiet as he walked along the streets of Tomoeda. " Lost some of its former air though."

Hitomi walked beside him, suddenly silent.   
" There use to be a playground over there." Syaoran stopped. " What happened to it?"  
" I don't know. I don't live here." Hitomi answered quietly.

Syaoran nodded and stared at the building that took the area that was once the site where his friends use to meet. He stared at the building for a long time before continuing on.

" Touya ought to be sixty seven now, or sixty eight, if he's still alive."  
" He should be."  
" Do you think he'll welcome me?" Syaoran asked.  
" Of course he will!" Hitomi sounded surprised.  
" Somehow I feel scared."

Hitomi reached out and took the boy's hand. Syaoran said nothing.

For a while they walked, Syaoran leading. Hitomi followed, clutching the book in her hands and watching Syaoran. The boy looked up.  
" There's the Kinomoto Residence." He paused. " I still feel an aura about that place. Maybe Touya's still in there. Who knows, maybe Fujitaka's still alive too. He'll be like ninety years old now."

The child went up the steps, Hitomi following.

  
_Ding Dong._

" What are you doing here?" Touya asked, opening the door and blinking at Syaoran. He had stopped calling the boy gaki ever since that phone call. " What happened?"

Syaoran hesitated, body trembling. " Sakura." He barely managed to whisper. " She's dead."

  
Ding Dong.

" I'll get it!" A child cried, and opened the door. " Huh? Who are you?"  
" Is this the Kinomoto Residence?" Hitomi asked before Syaoran could run.  
" Hai. Who are you?" The little girl asked again.  
" Is there someone named Touya in there?" Syaoran asked unsteadily.  
" Hai. Ji-chan? Hai."  
" Sakura, who's there?"

Syaoran studied the girl. She did look like Sakura, or at least, the eyes made her look like Sakura. But her hair was black and curly.

" Someone." Sakura turned around. Hitomi thought the child was around seven years old, more or less.

An old man, though he did not lose all of his vigour, went over to the door. He studied Syaoran, looked him up and down.  
" Syaoran?" He blinked.  
" Touya?!" 

Syaoran thought he would faint. This was Touya. This old, merry looking man. He knew he should be expecting a lot of changes in fifty years, but in his mind he always pictured the brother of Sakura as a young, quiet, dark looking boy with an odd smirk and glaring eyes. This old man was nothing like that. His features were soft and wrinkled. His eyes held a merry twinkle. He was bent over, not tall and straight like the Touya he remembered.  
" Syaoran! Well, a blast from the past! I thought you were dead!" The old man laughed and scooped the child into his arms. " I am so glad to see you! Though I daresay you haven't changed much. Did you go to sleep like that guy in A Wrinkle in Time, or what was that?"  
" Hai, sort of," Syaoran was almost dumb with emotion. Touya kissed the child's hair and set him down.  
" Come in! Come in!" He encouraged. " It's been so long. Who's your friend there? Come in, both of you. The slippers are over there.

Syaoran took off his shoes and put on the slippers. Hitomi did the same. They followed the old man into the living room where an older man was sitting on a couch along with a younger but still old woman. The older man stood up.  
" Kinomoto-san?" Syaoran recognized. He should have remembered that Fujitaka would be old too, but like Touya he had imagined the father to be tall and young, with merry eyes and a smile on his face. This old man was worn with age.  
" Huh? Who called?" Fujitaka asked, and his voice was raspy and shaky.  
" Don't mind him." Touya took Syaoran's young hand in his. " He can't remember much, unfortunately. Alzheimer's."

Syaoran stared at Fujitaka. Then his eyes turned to the old woman.  
" That's my wife. Noriko, meet Syaoran. He's a childhood friend of mine-childhood, get it?" The old man laughed. " Syaoran, meet Noriko."  
" Good heavens, the child kept his youth!" Noriko laughed, stretching out her thin and wrinkled arms. Syaoran wrapped his arms around her neck briefly. He really should have bowed, as was the Japanese custom, but it was obvious that Noriko wasn't too into bowing.  
" That's my son, Yusuke." The old grandfather gestured to a young looking man, who had green eyes and black hair. If it weren't for the green eyes, he would have looked like Touya when he was young.  
" Konnichiwa, Yusuke-san." Syaoran bowed this time, aware of the blank stare.

After many introductions, things started with Hitomi.  
" She's..." Syaoran didn't know how to put it. " The reincarnation of..."  
" Sakura?" Touya asked, looking at the young girl. " What, how quick! Only fifty years and already she's been reincarnated? That's great! What is her name?"

After introducing her, everyone sat down and Syaoran played with the grandchildren. But he couldn't help but feel a deep despair in his heart. It seemed like he came from a world that no longer existed. In his mind he remembered Eriol and his smirk, but he was a child. Sakura and her lovely smile. Touya and his glare. Yukito and his buns. Fujitaka and his glasses. And all of the sudden he came here to find no Eriol, no Sakura, but instead Hitomi that had no memories of being Sakura, Fujitaka ill with Alzheimer's so he could not possibly remember anything, old and worn, and Touya, an old grandfather already, with a proud son and grandchildren. Yet what did Syaoran have? Nothing. He was still the same Li Syaoran in a different world. Still eleven years old. Still without a family. Touya already retired. Syaoran remembered when he was just going to college. Fujitaka was at death's gate. Syaoran remembered when he was still a young father of a ten year old. 

So much change.

Touya helped them a lot, getting all the books he could from the library that was still in the basement that was relevant to Syaoran. And the child kept his sorrow to himself, buried in his heart. He studied Touya. An old man. His walk use to be filled with vigour. Now it was much more heavy and weak. Touya was wearing glasses to read. Touya's skin felt dry. Touya was losing his hair.

Touya seemed to jump from a young teenager to an old man.

Syaoran was pampered. Touya treated him like a grandson, and Syaoran hated that. He wanted Touya to treat him like a brother, not like they are generations apart. And yet...

Now they are.

Hitomi received a lot of attention, so she didn't notice. But when the two of them finally left the Kinomoto residence, promising to visit soon, it was nighttime. And the Phoenix Dragon fell to his knees before the Card Mistress, and began to cry.

  
  
Merle licked her wrist. " Where's the lizardboy?" She asked Van.  
" On the Mystic Moon." Van answered without turning around. " Miss him already?"  
" Iie. Just wondering." Merle yawned. " When is he coming back?"  
" Soon." Van answered.  
" Tonight seems so long."  
" The sorcerors stopped time. It is going to be longer to us."

Merle purred.

After a few minutes Merle raised her head.  
" Van-sama?" She asked.  
" Hai?" Van answered.  
" When is Syaoran coming back?"

  
  
The Dark Phoenix stood up and watched Hilderna closely.  
" So far only Shirin seems to be involved." Hilderna answered. " This time freezing thing. But probably all the sorcerors are involved. I don't know."

The phoenix was silent.

" Why don't you go after the boy?" Hilderna asked.

_She is a fool._ The Dark Phoenix thought. _It's obvious the child will return._  
" He will return. I will wait for him." The phoenix answered.  
" Are you sure?" Hilderna asked.

_What a fool._

" The child already knows of your plans, Hilderna." The immortal began. " And of mine. So do all the sorcerors. It would not be wise to proceed as before."  
" Then how shall we proceed?"  
" We cannot earn their trust. But they can do nothing about it." The phoenix smirked. " You will block all exits out of Akstrone. Then I will release my wrath."

  
  
Syaoran entered his room and sighed.  
" Here." Hitomi put the books on the table. " I'll go look for Van and the others. You stay here."  
" Alright. I'll begin looking." Syaoran answered tiredly.  
" You sure?" Hitomi suddenly blinked. " You seem tired. Why don't we put it off till tomorrow?"

Syaoran blinked and paused. " Not much time." He said, as time resumed on Gaea. " Go get Escaflowne and the others."  
" Escaflowne?" Hitomi blinked.  
" Van." Syaoran answered absent mindedly as he began with the first book by the candlelight.

After a few minutes the door opened.  
" Konbonwa, Escaflowne." Syaoran couldn't see very well.

Van paused. " It's late. Yue's here. We'll look at the books for you. You won't mind us staying in your room, right?"

Syaoran blinked. " I'm alright. But...I'm fine. I can look too."  
" Nonsense." Allen answered as he took the child by the arm and led him to bed. " You're only eleven years old. You need your rest."

Yue smiled at the scene.

" But-"  
" No buts." Yue broke in. Allen tucked the child in, and soon the little one was sleeping deeply.

  
  
" Talks about some twins." Van flipped a page. " Amazing. I wish I could use that spell to help me decipher all those ancient runes."

Yue smiled. He would have laughed if Syaoran wasn't right there. The child was too exhausted, the guardian observed. Much too exhausted for an eleven year old.

" Do I have magical powers?" Van was asking Yue. Yue thought for a minute.   
" Perhaps you do. You are a Draconian, but I'm not so familiar with such beings. Judging from your control over Escaflowne, I think you do, even if your magic is different from mine."

Van turned a page. " This one says something about amulets."  
" That's over." Yue answered. " Those amulets were long destroyed."

Allen was silent for a minute.

" Is this the Dark Phoenix?" He asked.

Van and Allen looked at the picture.

" Looks rather handsome." Van blinked. " Too handsome for an evil person. Lacks the malice."  
" That was him when he was still a Dragon." Yue began to look troubled. " Oh Kami-sama..."  
" Nani?" Van blinked.

Yue was looking at the ceiling while thinking.  
" Dragon to Phoenix. That's impossible, because Dragon's water, and wind, while the Phoenix is just fire. It wouldn't make any sense..."  
" What are you talking about?" Allen asked.

Yue stared at the book. He wouldn't answer. " Nothing important. Go on."  
" Doesn't say much about him." Van answered. " Says he's the son of another dragon, and some of his powers."  
" He's afraid of chickens?" Allen cocked an eyebrow.  
" I thought dragons eat chickens." Yue said thoughtfully.

Cough. Cough cough cough cough cough.

" They have chickens in the immortal realm?"  
" I doubt it. Chickens are too stupid."  
" What if they are immortal chickens?"  
" Is there such a thing?"  
" Quiet, you two!" Yue shushed them. " The child."

Syaoran sighed. 

There was a hushed silence. The child went on sleeping.

" They had chickens up there?"  
" Don't start."

" Water crystals can be made with a little bit of salt..." Van add a tad bit of salt, " Some sugar, a lot of water, and some moon magic."

Yue was a little reluctant. " Syaoran has some moon magic."  
" But the child will wake up."  
" I know. I have a feeling that if worst comes to worst, I might be the only one who can save him, and if I do this I have less of a chance."  
" What do you mean?" Van asked, incredulous. He never known Yue to be selfish.  
" He means that he's made of magic. Get it?" Syaoran was awake, still lying on the bed. " It's like donating blood. His blood is moon magic. Get whatever it is here. I don't use moon magic anyway."  
" Syaoran!" Allen blinked. " How did you wake up? Did we-"  
" Iie." Syaoran answered. " The spell did. Get it over here."

Van handed the bowl over and Syaoran deposited some of his moon magic. Twenty large blue crystals, all glittering and shining, gathered in the bowl.  
" We each take one." Yue instructed. " As long as we have this, the Dark Phoenix can't harm us. It looks like even being dark he's weak against water of any kind."  
" What, we throw this at him and he dies? How's this little thing going to protect us?" Syaoran blinked. " Sounds like nonsense."  
" I don't know. But the book says that all phoenixes, no matter what, are afraid of these crystals, and in their presence will not be able to use their powers."  
" Sounds like Superman."  
" But Superman is fake. This is real."  
" Superman?" Van looked at Allen.

Syaoran looked at Yue. " I don't feel very safe with this, but if improving me psychologically is going to benefit my well being, I guess this is better than nothing. There's another problem. I lose my powers too."  
" Because you're half Phoenix." Yue answered. " But I think this is worth it."

Syaoran thought for a while.

" I heard." He suddenly said. " If the Dark Phoenix is half dragon..."  
" He's not half dragon anymore." Allen answered.

Syaoran looked doubtfully at Allen. He said nothing.

  
  
Hilderna entered the chamber.   
" Water crystals." she laughed. " Hai, that might work for the poor man, but not for me. Alas!" She said sarcastically. " Lenra! Comi! Get over here!"

The priest and the priestess entered the chamber.

" Call the guards to start." Hilderna ordered. " Comi, stay here. Lenra, order the soldiers. We begin to attack tonight."

The priestess bowed, and retired. Comi remained in the room.

" Come, Comi." Hilderna began. " Let us call upon the spirits of the dead."

  
  
  
Hitomi woke to the sound of thundering footsteps outside in the hall. Kerberus started up in alarm.

" What was that, Kero?" Hitomi asked.  
" Nothing good!" Kero transformed into his true self. " Get your cards, Hitomi. I don't think we're going to win this without a fight."

There were shouts. A door was banged down and sounds of whimpering were heard.

" Millerna!" Hitomi blinked. She looked at Kero. " What do I do?"  
" Summon the staff!"

Hitomi blinked. " Summon the staff? What staff? How do I do that?"  
" Just do it!" Kero cried. Hitomi turned to the door as the footsteps became closer.   
_  
Cards, help me,_ She begged, and suddenly words began forming in her mind.

" Key of the Star!  
Surrender to your true form!  
I, the spirit of Sakura the Mistress,  
Command the forces old and worn,  
Release!"

The door broke down just as Hitomi swung the staff forward. She drew a card without looking and struck.

" Release and Dispell!" She shouted, remembering the words the young card mistress once said. There was a bright light, and a shriek from the soldier that entered the room. Kero growled, and it was a terrible growl, deep, powerful, and deadly. There was a sudden heat, and Hitomi saw fire. Windy stood at the doorway, her eyes deep and thoughtful. She returned to her card form.

More soldiers came at the door, but they were more cautious now.

" Surrender now," One of them ordered, " And there will be no trouble."  
" Oh really?" Hitomi glared, her old spirit rising. " I believe you've already caused trouble."

Kero bared his fangs. A ball of flame was beginning to form in his mouth.

" Halt!"

A woman dressed in robes stepped front.

" Card Mistress." Lenra addressed. " Surrender now. You cannot defeat me."

Hitomi narrowed her eyes. In silence she drew a card.

" Sword Card! Power Card! Combine to make one!"

  
  
Syaoran raised his head as he heard shouts come from the other side of the dwelling.

" Hilderna raised an attack." He stood up. " I don't think this is good at all. And Millerna and Hitomi!"

Allen and Van jumped to their feet, but Yue held them back.

" Millerna will be fine." He told Allen. " They want nothing from her. As long as she cooperates with them, they will do nothing. Hitomi I'm not so sure. I know Kero is with her, and she has the cards..."  
" Hitomi is older than Sakura." Syaoran answered. " She has more imagination. We have to hide the books. Quick!"

Yue hid half in the mattress and covered it. Syaoran pushed the books through the ceiling so it was inside. Then the child spread his phoenix wings and his eyes flickered for a moment. He was ready for battle.

The door creaked as the shoulders slammed into it. Syaoran's body trembled, his eyes were filled with fear and anger. Suddenly there was a crash and the door burst into pieces. Syaoran straightened his wings, then cringed.

Hilderna smiled. " Ah, my apologies for intruding so rudely, but I'm afraid there is something that requires your presence."  
" Apology not accepted. What is that something?" Syaoran answered.  
" I'm sure you know, young one." Hilderna smirked.

Thwack!!

Hilderna dodged in alarm as a dagger stuck fast to a wall.

" I am no fool." Syaoran seemed to glow with darkness, his eyes beginning to burn and his voice getting exceedingly powerful. " Think you that I would bother with your petty tricks? Be off! And leave my friends alone!"

Hilderna was visibly shakened by the sudden change in the sweet child and she was forced to take a step back. Syaoran drew his sword and stabbed forward. Hilderna dodged.

Syaoran's movements were lightning quick. Hilderna felt the wound at her side like a brand. She fell back and thrust her hands forward, creating a barrier. Syaoran was thrown back. Yue wasn't fazed though-he shot an arrow, and it wounded one of Hilderna's guards just as he charged to capture the child.

Comi closed his eyes and began to chant the spell. Wraiths began to form out of shadows, their blind eyes blinking, soft moans circling around the living. Syaoran stared around him, amazed. The ghostly beings stood up from the darkness, their transparent bodies flickering in the candlelight. From the many wounds that covered them, Syaoran could tell that they were prisoners, who suffered much torture before they died. And as he turned back to look at Hilderna, he saw their tormentor, and the child, despite himself, began quivering in fear. 


	9. Chapter 9

Dragon's Eye, Phoenix' Wing

Chapter 9

Hitomi got into a fighting stance. The guards stepped back. They didn't know what to make of it. A girl? Fighting all of them at once?

One soldier stepped forward and raised his sword. Hitomi slashed at his blade, breaking it in two. She hit the man's head with the hilt of her sword and the soldier fell unconscious. Kero tossed two men to the wall with his mouth. The men backed away. 

" We have to get to Millerna and the others!" Hitomi shouted, just as the hallway lighted up in flames.  
" Get over!" Kero shouted from the other side of the flames. Hitomi braced herself, then jumped over. The ceiling on that section collapsed, and Hitomi threw herself forward.

" Run!" Kero shouted. Flames blew up behind them. Hitomi got to her feet and ran, staff in hand, in the direction of Millerna's room.

" Millerna!" She shouted, thrusting open the door. There was no one inside. Hitomi rushed past. She ran into someone, someone cloaked...

" Card Mistress!" The sorceress cried. " Come with me," She took Hitomi by the hand, and guided her smoothly and quietly out of the flames, without even having to run. Hitomi looked around her, confused.

" Lorenil." She acknowledged, finally recognizing who her savior was.  
" We don't have much time." Lorenil answered, hood still on her head, but her eyes flashed from the light of the fire. " Your friends had created special crystals to protect them from the Phoenix. It might prove useful later, but for now Hilderna is planning to steal them. Comi had summoned past prisoners of torture that were enslaved by Hilderna to help them capture the child. Shirin is going to try something else, but for now you must come with me."

Hitomi nodded. Lorenil turned around and looked about her.

" Follow me." She said.

  
  
" You tortured your captives." Syaoran said quietly, trying to get his trembling under control. " You captured them, tortured them until they went mad. Then you drove them to their deaths and trapped their souls."

Hilderna cocked an eyebrow. " Do I hear a tone of accusation in that little speech, Little Gold Eyes?"  
" Ah, tis no accusation. It wouldn't help in this case, would it?" Syaoran slowly relaxed, studying Hilderna more and more, and his trembling ceased. " 'Tis merely a statement. But I do wonder," He poked at one of the spirits, who growled in response, but Syaoran was no longer fazed.

_ She admitted it,_ Syaoran thought to himself. _She was stupid enough to trap the souls of those she tormented. God, what a moron._

" If these souls are really loyal to you," He looked at Hilderna, and began wording carefully so the souls would hear. " _After humiliating them with whips and brands, scarring them and their names, drinking their blood and flesh, roasting their heart..._ah, what wonderful servants!"

He wasn't really sure if that was what Hilderna did, but it did make the spirits uncomfortable. Did Hilderna really do that to them? They looked at themselves. They no longer have a form. Perhaps it was Hilderna's doing. Their enslaver. Their captor.

" What do you really want, Hilderna? Surely you cannot want me, because the Dark Phoenix does. What do you get out of this?" Syaoran asked.

  
  
" I need you to send to Syaoran whatever vision you see." Lorenil instructed Hitomi as they walked down the hall. Shouts were heard from a long distance to the right. Lorenil continued to head forward. " Syaoran will need it."

They headed down the stairs.

" Where are we going?" Hitomi asked.  
" To the dungeons." Lorenil answered. Hitomi felt a chill run down her spine. As they walked the sorceress lighted up the hallway. Hitomi looked around. There were many cells, tight and dark, with bones scattered, but they were piled into heaps.

__

" You dare talk back to me?" Hilderna shouted as she kicked the man in the mouth. Then she calmed down.  
" I know something that will tame you, my dog," she chuckled. Waving a man over, she handed him a knife.  
" Cut him. Make him tell me what those secrets are. If he keeps on denying he knows it, cut one scoop from the bottom, and each time he denies cut one deeper, closer and closer to his stomach. Stop not till he reveals..."

  
  
Hitomi cringed. She stared at Lorenil. Lorenil nodded. Hitomi began to concentrate.

_Syaoran, Syaoran, I have something to show you..._

  
  
Syaoran blinked. As he listened to the words carefully he recognized it.

" Seems like two worlds share the same kind of tortures." He looked around for the poor man. He was only a blob of shadow now, with blood oozing out. " I know an Empress of China who used that type of torture. Oh, she was a good Empress, but a bad soul. Do you know what became of her in the end?"

Hilderna recognized the man. She also recognized the torture.

" She did a lot of worse things." Syaoran answered. " And her spirit began reliving it, but those cuts, those brands, they were on her own ' body'. Maybe I can cast one of those."

  
  
_" Come little boy." Hilderna laughed. Behind her back she held a poisonous dagger. The five year old smiled and ran over to her. Hilderna patted the child's head, then drove the blade into the boy's head..._

  
  
" Not such a good mother I see." Syaoran studied a smaller wraith. " Come here, little one."

The wraith blinked, then floated over. Syaoran touched its shapeless hand and a child formed, pale like an albino. On top of its head the child had a deep cut that still bled.

Hilderna stepped back. She was going to end this nonsense. 

" Comi, give order." She commanded.

Comi bowed his head and began to hum. The spirits stirred uneasily.

To the others, it seemed that Syaoran flashed. And flash he did, as if the sun had suddenly lighted and went out. It was a bright flash, retina burning, painful and quick. The spirits moaned in response.

" _Spirits of the dead! Hear ye! Hear ye!"_

Just then, the flames from the other hall spread to Syaoran's side. The guards cried out in terror. Comi and Hilderna looked back in alarm. There were shrieks.

" Cerene!" Allen cried, " The princess!"

Syaoran threw his hand out. The flames grew higher and crashed on to Hilderna. There was a muffled scream, and Comi stared at the spirits.

Normally the dead would have helped, but the wraiths were motionless, simply watching, surrounding Syaoran in a still circle and observing the flames.

Syaoran uttered something, but through the crackle of the flames the words could not be made out. The wraiths lunged forward. Yue shot an arrow and Allen and Van drew their swords. Syaoran charged through the flames as the black shadows engulfed the priest, the princess, and the guards. Yue took Allen.

" Use your wings!" The guardian cried to Van. " They will save you," He spread his own and flapped. The flames blew out. Van did the same, and the two angels rose into the air. Syaoran was nowhere to be seen.

" My sister! And the Princess!" Allen shouted to Yue as more wood and doors crumbled from being burned so long.  
" They're that way," Yue dove, the hall not suitable for flying. Van followed.

  
  
Millerna shrieked as more ceiling and wood fell down near her. The guards were running around in chaos. Cerene and the princess held on to each other for dear life as candles on the ceiling crashed down.

" The crystals!" Someone shouted, and Millerna turned to look. One winged figure dove back where he came while two others, one underneath the other, fluttered towards the broken and collapsing ceiling. The ceiling crashed, and the girls could feel arms around them and pushing them back. Shouts and more flames poisoned the air. Black shadows wove around the room, taking the life of each man they touched, but surprisingly avoiding Allen and Yue.

" Where's Van?" Millerna shouted over the catastrophe,  
" He went to get the Water Crystals!"Allen shouted back, as they crashed through one of the windows and onto the burning grass outside.

  
  
Kero backed off. This is ridiculous! He could stand flames, but not things falling all over the place! Where is Hitomi?

" Kerberus!" He heard someone shout, and made out the figure of Van, with his wings spread behind him, running towards him.

" Get the Water crystals in that room!" The young lord shouted, and Kero went through the flames and looked around. What water crystals?

Van leaped through the flames, his trousers burnt black.   
" The books! The crystals! Over there!" Van cried as he grabbed one pile. Kero looked over. There were twenty blue crystals in a crystal bowl. Water is blue, or at least it's drawn to be that way, so-

" Ah, I don't think so." Said a voice, just as Kero grabbed the bowl in his mouth. One crystal skittered over to Van's feet. They both looked up.

It was him. That blonde hair, those flaming eyes. It was the Dark phoenix, with all his menace and darkness. This was the being that destroyed Syaoran's life. This was the being that can destroy all of Gaea with a flick of his hand. And they were face to face with it. Alone.

Van took a step back, his books falling over. One of the books lighted up in flame.

" Give me those books." The Dark Phoenix was well aware of their use.

Van froze. What could he do?

The Dark Phoenix smiled. " Give me those books like a good boy. Or," His hand rose and a ball of fire began to form, " Things will begin to get hot."

  
  
" Lorenil!"

The sorceress turned around. " Zad!"

Zad ran up, wiping his hair and panting. " Hurry, the dungeon is about to collapse! I think Hilderna's dead, I'm not sure, but you two have to get out! Card Mistress! Come with me!" The sorceror grabbed Hitomi's hand and dragged her out. Hitomi followed, dazed, but her heart was racing. She noticed that the halls were filled with guards either fighting each other or fighting cloaked magicians and priests. The castle was filled with fire.

" What about Millerna? And Cerene?" Hitomi shouted.  
" They're taken care of," Zad answered, and he opened the door. A gust of wind blew in, small enough to make the fires grow bigger. They rushed out.

Lorenil made it out just as the ceiling collapsed from the dungeons. She looked up and saw one window. But she didn't really see what was inside, only felt its power.

" Iie." She whispered. " Syaoran..."

  
  
Syaoran looked around. " Escaflowne..." He reached out and gestured. " I know as long as you are safe your other will be fine, but you must stay safe. He has the crystals...you must hear me, for once at least!"

The tall thing sat as still as the metallic stone it was made of. It made no movement.

" Escaflowne!" Syaoran whipped around just as flames began consuming the floors. " Escaflowne! Onegai!"

But only Van could make the tall thing move. Syaoran sighed, then an idea came to him. Didn't he enter the armor once? Sure, the wires and everything were too big, but at least he was able to make it move, even if it was a little, before Van and Allen had stopped him.

He leaped onto the lap of Escaflowne and touched the gem. The armor opened and he went inside, fighting down the claustrophobia that was beginning to build.

_For Van,_ He thought, _If Escaflowne were dead he would be too..._ He felt everything connect to him. Shifting his leg, he made Escaflowne stand up.

Didn't Van make Escaflowne a dragon? Perhaps he could do that. Syaoran blinked. But how?

But without knowing it the armor folded down around him and he was grabbing the dragon by the reins. Escaflowne gave a terrible screech and they crashed through the wall just as the flames hit where Escaflowne was once seated. The dragon sailed through the air and Syaoran made it go down, and the dragon thing landed, turning back into an armor. Syaoran hesitated, then freed himself.

" If Van gets out of this," Syaoran thought out loud, " I'll punish him for this. I am never going in that thing again!"

  
  
By nature, as a warrior, Van began looking around him, above him, below him, to think of some tool he could use to defend himself. His eyes fell upon the crystal. 

Dropping to his knees he grabbed the crystal and thrusted his hand out, holding on to the jewel. The crystals, all of them, began glowing brightly.

The Dark Phoenix screeched, and it was a piercing and terrible screech. He thrusted his hands out and his flames began to die. The ground beneath their feet split from the shriek of the great Phoenix facing his main weakness. Fires rose around the spirit in vain to protect himself and the Dark Phoenix spread his great wings and became a great black bird. The being unleashed a giant wind and both Kero, Van, and the books and crystals were thrown into the flames. But water made the flames sizzle out just as the castle began to crumble, and the Dark Phoenix vanished, without a trace.

Van shook his head to clear his senses. One book was burnt black. All the others were only burnt slightly. Kero still had some crystals in his mouth-all the rest were gone. Van gathered up the books and Kero gathered the crystals and they made it outside just as the entire castle collapsed in flames, ignoring the cries and the wails of the poor guards and their families behind them.

As the dust piled in the air a great gush of wind forced Van and Kero forward. Allen, Yue, Millerna, Cerene, Hitomi and all the sorcerors felt it and the force of it made all of their bodies fly in the air and crash onto the ground. The wind passed, but they remained on the grass, pools of blood developing around their fallen bodies.

  
  
  
  
  
  
Morning.

The sun was shining, but no birds were chirping, and the air was filled with smoke. A lone child ran down the hill from where a tall armor stood and looked amongst the ruins.

" Escaflowne!" He called despairingly, " Sakura? Allen? Yue! Kero?" He looked around, sobbing slightly, whimpers escaping him as he flipped fallen bodies over to look at the dead faces, only to step over them and flip more. Blood was all over his arms and clothes. His eyes were wild with fear and apprehension. He looked up. There were several more on the grass. Was it them?

" Escaflowne?' he called. " Hitomi?"

He ran over and recognized one pair of wings. Shaking the body gently, he sobbed.  
" Yue?"

No answer. The guardian did not move.

Syaoran whimpered, sobbing, and moved to the next one. He stopped for a moment.

_" ...clean to the bone..._"

" Sakura?" He pushed Hitomi, then jumped over her body and shook Allen. None of them gave any response.

He stood up, sobbing. " I thought saving Escaflowne would..." He began crying. " I lost them. I lost them again. Just like I lost..."

A groan.

Syaoran whipped around and ran over to a pair of wings. " Escaflowne?"

Van shifted slightly. " Syaoran," He whispered.

Syaoran began laughing through his tears. " It's okay, as long as you're alive, hold on," He placed his hands over Van's bruised body and let his energy flow into Van. Van felt the pain ease and strength running in his blood. He sat up slowly.

" Oh my god," Syaoran wept in joy, too glad to despair over the loss of the others. " I didn't lose everyone. I didn't lose everyone. I didnt-"  
" Shhh..." Van held out his arms and gathered the child to him. " It's okay..."

Some groans, and one body shifted over.

" Oww..." Kero groaned. " That hurts. What happened?"

Yue curled up and got to his knees, looking around, dazed.

Syaoran inhaled and ran to one guardian, then to the other, hugging them like crazy. He didn't bother healing them this time because he was so busy crying.  
" I thought I lost both of you, I thought I lost everyone, and-I was so scared-"  
" It's alright," Yue said comfortingly. " I think we're all alright. We were far from a lot of the destruction, since we were out of the fort."

Syaoran blinked, and crawled over to Hitomi, who was nearby. He placed his hands over her and his body shimmered and glowed softly, unlike the other night when he was flashing. Hitomi moaned. The child crawled over to the next one, in his excitement not even looking at the Card Mistress. Before he could heal Lorenil he suddenly dropped and lay like a dead thing.

" What happened?" Van started and ran over to the child.  
" He exhausted himself." Yue answered. The guardian looked at the suddenly unconscious boy in Van's arms. Millerna, Cerene, and Hitomi got up and looked around them.

" Oh my god..." Millerna breathed. " It's all in ruins..."  
" What happened to the Dark Phoenix?" Allen asked, rubbing his head.  
" He's gone." Van explained what happened.  
" Iie." Yue shook his head. " That was what happened before, according to Syaoran. The Dark Phoenix cannot be just destroyed by simple amulets. He's probably severely weakened and only fled like the coward that he was."  
" But he was beginning to turn to ash."  
" Haven't you heard of those stories about Phoenixes?" Hitomi answered. " As long as every bit of that ash was together, the Phoenix can be reborn from the flames. As far as I can tell, there was fire everywhere. Maybe the Dark Phoenix was able to reassemble himself, even though the ritual wasn't appropriate."  
" So you're saying that he's still here."  
" I can feel his presence." Kero answered in his gruff voice, and lied down next to the other guardian.

Yue looked up. " Hai, he's still around. Whatever happened to him, he's still here. It's dangerous here, we have to take Syaoran somewhere else. Allen, take the girls and Syaoran over to the woods over there. Hitomi, keep your cards ready. Van, Kero and I will go look around for any surviving sorcerors that might help us."

  
  
The walls had crumbled from the fire. Pale bodies with burnt robes lied everywhere, body parts no longer bleeding. There was still smoke from some of the ruins, and a heated blaze in small areas. 

Van looked around him. The scene reminded him of those times five years ago, when he was trapped in the memory of Atlantis. The memory of Draconians flying in the sky, and dissolving into ashes as the flames rose to consume them. Shuddering, a fear taking hold of his heart, he unconsciously reached out and found Yue's hand.

The Moon Guardian was startled and looked back at the young king. Noting the dazed look in his eyes, Yue's cold eyes softened and he gave Van a reassuring squeeze. He knew the young man thought of himself as a fellow Draconian and from Syaoran's accounts, perhaps Van had thought of the memories of before, where all the fellow angels died in that devastating fire and flame.

Yue was not a Draconian. But if it pleased Van to believe it, Yue had no problem with that.

Syaoran had definetely come to the right place. Gaea had experienced so much that Syaoran should feel quite at home here in a world of understanding. But Yue knew that Gaea was no place for a child to be cured. Earth...Earth had a light giddiness to it. Everything was bright and natural. Here there was a gloom that reflects a time when there was once joy, but that joy was all but a memory. The people on Gaea had the knowledge of dark times, and those dark times will forever taint whatever happiness there may be.

It's no place for a child. Yue swallowed. Hai. Syaoran came to the right place. Here he could pour his despair out without fear of being ignored or laughed at. But in the end, someone has to take him home. Someone has to give him a life. Life on Earth.

There was one man still breathing. Yue bent down and took the sorceror into his arms. The man opened his hazel eyes and stared at him.

" Who are you?" He asked deliriously. Yue sighed. Millerna's a doctor, but he's not. He spread his wings.  
" I'll be back." He told the others, and gave one great flap. 

  
  
" Iie, you're not going to heal anyone. _I'll _do it." Millerna snapped. Syaoran pouted and sat back, leaning into Allen's embrace.

" Where's Escaflowne?" Syaoran asked. " How come he's not back yet?"

It was the fifth time the boy asked that, but none of the adults complained because they could tell the child was restless and worried. None of them could get use to the name " Escaflowne", they addressed him as Van for so long. Indeed, Hitomi didn't even know when and why Syaoran suddenly started calling Van Escaflowne. He even called her Sakura at times. He repeatedly inquired about Chid every time Kero flew by or Yue. Van often handed those he found to Yue, so they never saw him.

Was Chid alive? Syaoran was anxious.   
" Where's Chid?" He asked as Yue came back. " Is this him?"  
" Iie." Yue answered, but there was a gentle smile on his face. " Don't worry. Van's got him. Chid is fine-just buried under some rubble for some time. Look, Van's coming."

" Escaflowne!" Syaoran called. Van started at the name and landed, unsure. Chid hopped out of his arms and ran towards Syaoran.   
" Are you alright?" Chid asked.  
" You're asking me?!" Syaoran cried, incredulous. " I wasn't the one buried under the rubble!"

There was a huge explosion. The group cringed.

Kero ran up. " That's the last one. The whole city's blown up."  
" We managed to rescue around forty eight, at least." Yue said quietly.  
" The Phoenix is reborn. With so little fire!" Syaoran breathed, amazed. " How is that possible? And with water crystals!"  
" We have to get away." Yue answered.  
" Get Escaflowne." Syaoran said to Van. " We'll leave riding on it."

  
  
Minutes later they were sailing through the air. 


	10. Chapter 10

Dragon's Eye, Phoenix' Wing

Chapter 10

" We're not being chased..." Syaoran looked over his shoulder. " That's strange..."  
" Why do you suppose that is?" Hitomi asked.  
" The Dragon..." Yue blinked, realizing. " It suppresses magic of the dragons...so...that means...the Phoenix can't sense Syaoran!"  
" That's a relief." Cerene blinked.   
" About time this thing did something good." Chid looked at the flying dragon underneath them. " No wonder the Phoenix never-attacked Fanelia."

Syaoran remained silent for a time. " Now I know...when they hid me, they placed weird objects all about me. They were dragon hearts. That's what protected me for all these years..."  
" Nani?" Yue asked.

Syaoran didn't answer.

" Where are we headed?" Lorenil, one of the survivors, asked Van.  
" Somewhere. I don't know." Van answered. " I'm just going away from that place."  
" Without any idea where on Gaea you're headed." A sorceror named Shay frowned. " Turn up. Might distract the Phoenix."  
" Down." Syaoran contradicted. " But keep moving. I sense that he's above. He's going the wrong way, but he might see us if you go up. And go faster. I'm going to try to use my dragon powers to shield us from his view, though I doubt it will work...unless, Escaflowne has a conscious..."

It probably did, Syaoran didn't know, but whatever just happened he managed to make them invisible without letting a peck of magic escape the huge dragon. Syaoran then sat down and fell asleep next to Chid, being very exhausted.

They flew on for two more hours at a relatively high speed. Syaoran woke up and looked around him.

" We can land now." He told Van. " The Phoenix is far away."

They landed in a small clearing. Escaflowne returned to its warrior form and stood among the tall trees, and the trees were tall, taller than Escaflowne, with wide branches so the armor was covered completely.

It was nighttime. Allen and Shay made campfires and roasted the meet the sorcerors had hunted. Syaoran ate hungrily this time-his appetite increased dramatically, probably because of the need for strength.

" Slow down before you choke yourself." Yue warned. Everyone realized Yue was especially protective of the child. " We don't need a dead defender."

Syaoran answered by turning into a dragon-that probably would help him wolf the meat down better, Yue realized. The guardian sighed and held the fidgeting animal as the dragon tore the meat off like a murderer.

" Syaoran, Syaoran," Yue let the dragon swallow before closing his hand around the dragon's thin neck and pulling him back. " Don't scare me like that. What's wrong with you?"

Chid looked down. The others looked back.

" Syaoran?" Yue blinked as Syaoran wiggled out.   
" Syaoran," Yue held on to the dragon again. " Syaoran, calm down." The guardian's eyes began to glow and the golden eyes of the dragon dulled while the snakelike thing curled up on Yue's lap.

Lorenil looked at one of the sorceresses. The sorceress nodded.

  
  
_" Someday, you'll probably understand." Syaoran said to Hitomi. " Things will never be the same again. You see all the changes and sometimes you aren't happy with them...wish they were left alone but they aren't because nothing can be left alone..."_

" You realize that everything you knew were gone and all that's left were bits and pieces of memories, nothing more..."

" You stare around you and realize that you were made to live in a world of fire and ice..."

" A world where demons dwell..."

" And angels burn in the flame..."

" And you stare at your past and cry out, ' why?'"

" The answer?"

" Because all you've ever lived for was gone and this is all you have to save. A world of ashes and flame, the sky covered with smoke, the smoke of roasting flesh and boiling blood. Was this what they wanted me to live for? Iie, but this is all I have to live for. This hell, this world doomed to be consumed in darkness, and I to be consumed with it."

" Sometimes I still remember the old days. But I thought recollection was something old men and women do. They lost all they had before and are losing what they still claim. They lost their childhood, their youth, their strength, and they are losing their life. There was no hope for them but to wait for death."

" Why do I feel this way, Sakura?"

  
  
The streets of Tomoeda were dark and quiet. Syaoran looked around for any sign that there was anything of the past. There were none so far, at least from where he was standing.

The old building, the old apartment building-it was gone. Probably from some earthquake. Japan was always full of earthquakes, although those in Tomoeda were more rare than other places. Now a brand new building stood tall on the area where his old home stood. Syaoran looked at the building. He thought he saw his old apartment when he last came here with Hitomi, but he wasn't sure. It didn't matter. What mattered was that the building was gone.

Syaoran stood there for a long time, staring at the doors. No one came out. No one went in. Syaoran saw himself walk up the steps of the old building and entire into the lobby with the keys. He went up on the elevator and when it opened came to his door. Taking his keys he turned-

" Syaoran."  
Syaoran turned around. He was outside again, in front of the new building.  
" Escaflowne." He acknowledged. " How did you come?"

Van was quiet for a moment. " Hitomi and Yue helped me." He said. " They had things to take care of, and Lorenil believes since I am part of Escaflowne I might also have its protective qualities. They were afraid you might expose yourself."

There was a silence.

" You seem to spend more time in Japan than in Hong Kong." Van observed.  
" I'm afraid of what I might find there."  
" What do you think you might find?"  
" Change."  
" Surely your family's graves will still be here? You ought to visit them. It's the least you can do."

Syaoran paused. " Hai, it's the least I could do." He was silent.

  
  
_" I come and I realize you are all I have left." Syaoran told Allen. " I don't want to lose you."  
" If you die and we live, wouldn't that be the same thing?" Allen asked. " If we must die, let us all die together. That way no one will be lost. But if Fate decides to let us live, if the gods decide to let us all be together, we will survive this."  
" You have so much faith." Syaoran whispered. " But you're with a god now. And this god knows not what's to come."_

" I can't believe I've never seen this before." Syaoran looked at the stones in the clearing. Each stone bore the name of who was underneath, and a blessing. " I was so absorbed in getting away..."

Van squeezed the child's shoulders soothingly.  
" I am sixty-two today." the child suddenly said.  
" Nani?" Van blinked.  
" Today is July thirteenth." Syaoran looked at the clouds. " I was born on this day, fifty two years ago. I just realized that. I guess it's appropriate I came to visit their graves."

Van was silent. " So you are physically twelve."

Syaoran didn't answer. " It should have been the zodiac I was born in." He whispered. " The Dragon. But this year's not the dragon. It's the year of the rooster."

Van closed his eyes. " I know little one." He kissed the boy's soft hair. " Let's go home."  
" Home?" Syaoran asked, with tearfilled eyes. " Where is home?"

Van answered by pulling Syaoran into a loving embrace.

  
  
" Merle!"

The cat blinked and turned around. " Hum?" She tilted her head. " What is it, Hitomi?"  
" Don't wander off like that." Hitomi called. " You don't have Escaflowne to protect you. What if the Dark Phoenix comes?"  
" He'll come and destroy us all anyway." Merle licked her arm.  
" You sound so brave." Syaoran rolled his eyes as he appeared through the bushes with Van. " Wait until you see him. He scared me half to death the first time I saw him."  
" When was the first time you saw him?" Lorenil asked as the other sorcerors gathered up things to build a magical fort, which was suppressed by Escaflowne.  
" That time my aunts and uncles were still here." Syaoran's voice sounded distant. " Aunt Monei was holding me tightly. That time the Dark Phoenix didn't see me but I saw him. He looked terrible." The child shuddered. " That was the first time, and Monei took me away."  
" Was she killed too?" Merle asked.

Van glared at the catgirl.

" Hai, she was killed." Syaoran put on an absent air. " They all were. There was no one left."

There was a sudden screech. Thundering hooves were heard. The group turned as one, the sorcerors all dropping whatever they were holding. In the sky snakelike shapes were moving. Syaoran's eyes widened. " Could it be?"

A unicorn halted in front of him and turned into a human. He was tall and pale, with white hair and brown eyes. He glanced at Escaflowne, then at Syaoran. Then he looked up at the sky.  
" Go!" He gently pushed Syaoran. " Go underground. It's a good thing you came here-we thought you wouldn't arrive on Gaea, much less go in the right location. Head to that clearing. There's a refuge underground," He turned back into a unicorn and led the way. Without hesitation, Syaoran followed, and everyone else followed him.

_ Some are still alive,_ The child thought to himself. _Or am I dreaming?_

The unicorn stopped, sniffed the air, and went right at a tree. It disappeared. Syaoran followed without hesitation. The others, more reluctant, went as well.

  
  
Above the serpents were screeching at the advancing Phoenix. Below, a Forin hurried down the hall in her human form with a Mander.

" Think those serpents can keep them away long enough?" Asked the Forin. " Where is the child?"  
" They just came in." The unicorn man answered. " Faneth just brought them. Hopefully those serpents can distract the Dark Phoenix away from the Escaflowne while we hide it."  
" Hai." The Mander agreed. " I wish I was in the water. I feel so dry up here."  
" Hai, you with your flippers." The Forin answered. " Let's hurry up and check on the child. Hopefully he's alright...not too far gone, anyway."

  
  
" Who are you?" Syaoran asked. He knew they were immortals, but he had never seen them before and it suddenly frightened him. What if they were working for the Dark Phoenix?

The serpent didn't answer.  
" Nakten!" He called for the Mander. " Nakten, we got the child. Should I call for the others to retreat?"  
" Nakten?" Syaoran whispered in shock. 

A woman with blue-black hair, with well defined curls, appeared at the doorway of the underground tunnel.  
" Nay, that will rouse suspicion from the old brute." She blinked. " Syaoran, come here little one. It's safe now."

Syaoran stared at her in disbelief and for a while could do nothing but gape. Then he burst into laughter and tears and ran into her arms.

The Mander spoke soothingly to the Phoenix Dragon as the previous Forin and Mander appeared with the unicorn man.

" Now is not the time for greetings, young one." The old friend said apologetically to the child. " In times of war, feelings must be repressed. The Dark Phoenix has some serpents and other devils in his power. They are attacking south. We will have time to talk later. For now, I have to take care of things. Faneth? Can you show our guests to their chambers? Also, send for the Arns. We need all the flying beings and they are one of the best-survivors anyway. Tell them to protect that huge statue up there-it holds a protective essence for the child."

Allen and Van didn't bother to tell the Mander that the ' tall statue' was not in fact, a statue. If it pleases them to call it a statue they can call it a statue. Escaflowne is being protected by these strange beings, and that's all that mattered.

  
  
" Some Nolans are heading this way," Said an Arn from the underground refuge in the south. " Has the child been found yet?"  
" He has." Said a Mander. " We'll have to send some of the Manders out. Nolans are weak against water."

It seemed as though everything was a confused mess. But in reality everything was organized. There were few ' soldiers' in each refuge but there was enough to defend from many intruders. There wasn't much diversity though. The forins were the deer with golden antlers, but they were not very powerful. The unicorns are a little stronger but not enough to defeat many species. The Manders are more powerful than most-they were water creatures, with long necks and songs that can enchant the coldest of hearts. Serpents were closely related to Dragons, though they lack the power and they do not have legs. Like Dragons they were able to move through the air and they had soft doelike eyes, but they were not able to control the elements. They were only known for their slyness and ability to surprise the enemy.

The Arns are close relations of the Phoenix. They were more powerful than the serpents but less powerful than the Manders. Of all flying species other than the Dragons they were considered the most skilled. It was the Arns that distracted the Phoenix from the precious child the Phoenix and the Dragons had taken so much care to hide. They were clear, they did not have color and seem to be ghosts, but they were solid. Long tail feathers spread out behind them so they could maneuver easily. Sharp eyes could see anything from miles away.

The earth shook. The Mander shouted to everyone. " All Manders! Go through the west entrance! All Manders to the west entrance!"

There was great commotion in the underground refuge as men and women jumped out into the exit and the waters outside. The Arns prepared to leave from the north exit.

The sea creatures swam up to the surface of the water. Above, the Nolans, batwinged panthers with no feet on their legs, growled and attacked the defending Arns. Being better flyers, the Arns circled around them as the Manders attacked from below. But there were too many Nolans, all growling and glaring. One of them dropped down and without even touching the water, broke the neck of a Mander with its teeth.

  
  
The Dark Phoenix hissed. They were only serpents! How did his powers not affect them?

Little did he know, the presence of Escaflowne played a part in this. The Dragon suppressed the power of the Phoenix instead. The Dark One did not think that the tall armor had a mind of its own. No one did. It can probably feel the pain, but think? What absurdity! 

However, the Dark Phoenix was certain that Escaflowne will hinder his plans dramatically. That stupid statue already prevented him from capturing the child so many times.

Now the Dark One wished he had killed off the other immortals as well. They were becoming too much of a nuisance. The man refused to believe that they were defeating him. Perhaps they weren't at all, but the Dark Phoenix had an uncanny feeling that he was beginning to lose.

He won't lose! This was but a test. Even if the attacks from the serpents increased dramatically as to wound him, and his powers decreased so as not to hurt or scratch them at all, by some uncanny and unknown power...

The slam on the table echoed throughout the hall. There were no whispers. The hall was silent and empty.

Soon the door opened and a Nolan entered. It only took a single step before it collapsed. The Dark Phoenix looked emotionlessly at the dead corpse, all bloody and dirty.

" The child is worth all this trouble." He muttered. " All this accursed nonsense. What's a little death?"

__

One day I'll become strong. And I'll destroy you all. You'll regret crossing me...

  
  
" How the hell did that happen?" Syaoran cried. " They weren't even scratched!"  
" It was the Dragon."  
" What dragon?"  
" Escaflowne."  
" The statue?" Syaoran still referred to Escaflowne as the statue. " How? I thought Escaflowne only has something against dragons, or me, at least."  
" It has a mind of its own. Or at least, a mind of Van's own." Nakten smiled. " Our odds are getting better."

Syaoran sighed and visibly calmed down. " So the refuge at the south end is alright?"  
" They managed to defeat the Nolans."  
" Nasty creatures."

Nakten nodded, amused. Syaoran threw his arms around his old friend.

" I missed you so much. I thought I was all alone."  
" Your family's more considerate than that." Nakten laughed. But her laughter was not fully merry.  
" Are they alive too? Any of them?" Syaoran asked, hope in his voice. He had thought all immortals had died. He had thought Yue and Kerberus died and yet they are still here. Now the Arns, the Serpents, the Manders, the unicorns and Forins, they're here. What if-

" Iie." Nakten said softly, her eyes sad. " They're all gone, Syaoran. Perhaps we will be gone too. It was a valiant battle."

Syaoran blinked. " Huh?" He whimpered.

Nakten sat down and sipped some tea, which they were surprisingly rich in. " That night they hid you in the glade," She began, " The Dark Phoenix attacked. They first called upon the Arns to distract the Dark Phoenix as they escaped far from where they hid you, holding a fake bundle so that the Dark One will be tricked. The Dark Phoenix fell for it, but killed most of the Arns along the way. The Phoenix, hot by nature, faced him first, while the Dragons tried to call upon the Manders and other sea creatures-Ghorians, Bailies, and other land and air dwellers-Griffins, Maydos, Larks and Strais. That time the Dark Phoenix already had a lot of the serpents on his side, along with ogres and orcs, Nolans and Contors."

" At first it was a stalemate. Neither side won. But then it began to rain. The Phoenixes suffered terribly, but the Dark Phoenix was not harmed. It began to rain harder, so all of them became ashes. The Dark Phoenix summoned a wind and scattered the ashes so that they can never be held together and reborn by rekindling their flame. That was the end of the Phoenixes. The Dragons realized that the Dark Phoenix had destroyed an entire species and summoned more beings-serpents and pailents, Rendons and Haws. Without the Phoenixes the Dark One was able to let go of all his power. The Dragons suffered terribly from his flame, but since there was the rain, many of them managed to escape with only a few major burns."

" The young Phoenixes perished in the rain. The Griffins were killed by the Dark Phoenix's might. Their young were hidden away, and for a while things were relatively quiet. Then the Dark Phoenix's army attacked again. The Manders and Forins took care of the sea and land, while the Arns tried to battle those who were airborne. It was a devastating battle that lasted for days without ending. In the end the Dragons lost. They knew they will not be able to win anyway, but they wanted to save you."

Syaoran remained silent.

" Afterwards the Dragons fled. The others began to set up refuges like this one." Nakten smiled sadly. " The Dark Phoenix thought that you might be in one of them so he attacked every single one. After around two or three years, the dragons were the only ones left. They fought many battles that lasted for over thirteen years. In the end, not even a child was saved. The only ones the Dark Phoenix avoided were the refuges in the oceans. When he finally turned to those, we escaped to Gaea. The Dark Phoenix thought it wouldn't be worth it to track us here, until you woke. But that was many years later."

" So they're all gone."  
" All gone."  
" You're the only ones left?" 

Nakten nodded.

Syaoran swallowed. " What about the other children?" He asked. " Why didn't they save them?"

Nakten looked at Syaoran. " Because...you're more important."

Syaoran laughed bitterly. " I'm tired of being important. I'm so important that I got my whole family killed and so many immortals as well, and perhaps I might even cause the destruction of an entire planet."  
" It's not your fault, Syaoran."  
" To hell with it's not my fault!" Syaoran buried his face in his hands and sobbed. Nakten rose and gathered the boy into her arms.

" Don't cry little one," The motherly Mander said to the child. " Don't cry. They died willingly for you. It was never your fault. You couldn't have done anything. But child, listen to me," Nakten bent down and raised the boy's face to look into her eyes. " Don't be afraid. Be strong, Syaoran. For all of us."

  
  
_" This will be our last." The young girl said, her eyes dazed. " The last battle before all is lost."  
" Stop that nonsense." The older Dragon snapped. " Nothing is lost until it is lost. The army's arriving. Call Hal! Tell him to send the young ones up there as well. We need all the powers we can have."_

The Dragons ran along the trench and appeared above ground. There were sneers from the sky and land as orcs and ogres approached with the Nolans above. The young girl attacked the orcs and ogres first. Above, fire arrows were shot down.

" Summon the shield!" The older Dragon shouted. The shield was summoned and the arrows were deflected, but that was not to last. The Dark Phoenix loomed across the sky, his black aura covering the sun and moon so that the entire world was shrouded in darkness.

" Fire!" The dragons shouted, as pure energy, destructive energy, was fired at the Dark Phoenix. The terrible being smirked, gave one great flap, and a huge wind circled around the refuge, tearing up the ground...

  
  
" What strange water," The young Mander remarked. The other Arn nodded her head.  
" They say it's Phoenix' water." A serpent boy remarked.  
" Ew! You're disgusting!" Cried the young Mander.  
" It's true," The serpent answered. " When they potty, their water's like that."  
" I don't think Phoenixes potty anywhere other than _grfich,_" Another serpent boy blinked.

Syaoran walked with Nakten over to where the immortal children were standing.  
" Children, where is Longak?" The older Mander asked.  
" He's gone over to the library." The first Mander answered. " He said something about training a boy."  
" In the library? That hardly seems logical." Nakten paused. " But no matter. Come Syaoran."  
" Nakten, do you think I will gain enough experience in time?" Syaoran asked.  
" If we hurry, probably." The old Mander answered. " Come along. Longak!"  
" Yeah?" A Mander stepped out, rubbing his head. " Is this the kid? Awfully young though." He frowned, and Syaoran hesitated a step.

_I have to train with _him_?_

" Come here, boy." Longak pulled the child's hand rather forcefully. " Let's begin with what you know-and please, don't destroy anything. Quiet in the library."

  
  
It was hard for the group to imagine that they were dropped in a society of immortals, even if the immortals weren't especially strong ones. There was always something going on-a child threw fire, or water, or ice, and broke some magical barrier. The flurry of immortals would rush to mend it, no matter how small the crack. Everything needed to be kept perfect. The children cannot step out of certain boundaries. Always there was a group of children training. There were few children, but there were still some, and always one child would peek into the mortal guest chambers to study Van, or Allen, or some other thing they found interesting about the mortals.

Several hours into their stay, Syaoran rushed into the room with a gust of wind. He stopped quite abruptly before Yue, who blinked at him for a minute.  
" How's the training?" The guardian asked, still not sure what to make of the boy's sudden entrance.  
" Hold on, let my guts catch up." Syaoran answered breathlessly, and Yue was a little unsure of whether Syaoran was speaking figuratively or if his internal organs were really suffering from inertia. After two minutes, Syaoran blanched, rushed over to the sink and began vomiting the contents of his stomach.

This time none of the mortals helped him. It wasn't because they suddenly felt impassive, they just didn't know what was going on. Eventually, a Mander looking man stepped in.  
" I know." The man gruffed, though his words were sympathetic, " It takes a while to get use to."  
" If I ever get use to it," Syaoran wiped his mouth. " Hold on, the world's spinning," Syaoran stumbled a little before standing still.

There was a brief silence.

" Well?" Longak demanded.  
" Hold on!" Syaoran snapped, his Phoenix crankiness rising within him. " I thought you knew how it feels when your organs are displaced."

Longak decided to wait. He was extremely ill-tempered, for a Mander, who usually were calm and soothing. But a Phoenix by nature will defeat him in any cantankerous moods, no matter how young the immortal is. Although the man was getting impatient, he didn't really want to risk getting roasted by a Phoenix-which often happens when they were angered.

After a full minute, Syaoran relaxed-and fainted.

" Well, if he expects to defeat the Dark Phoenix that way, I'd say dream on!" Longak huffed, but deep inside he was getting worried. He marched over to the boy and lifted him up, wanting to slap him awake, but froze.  
" What is it?" Nakten asked-having watched the whole thing.  
" God, is this kid anorexic?" Longak nearly yelled. " How can he expect to defeat the Dark Phoenix this way, huh?"  
" I have no idea." Van was getting annoyed with the yelling Mander. " But I'm sure he'll start eating now. Maybe we should wait with the training-whatever you call it."

Longak would have barked at the mere mortal if Nakten hadn't agreed.  
" I'd say he's right." She said. " The child was exhausted from the beginning. It would help if he rested and regained his strength before using it all up for training."

  
  
_" There were many places down there." Nakten smiled. She turned into the beautiful Mander that she was and dove down. Syaoran hesitated, and turned into a dragon, following her._

They moved at a slow pace, with the Mander leading. The baby dragon opened his mouth when he saw the underwater cave. 

The Mander whistled, indicating that she wanted the dragon to follow her into the cave. Inside, there were precious stones glittering on the walls, completely untouched-

  
  
" Syaoran?!" Someone yelled. Syaoran opened his eyes, rubbing the sleepiness out of them. He didn't recognize the voice very well, but he could tell it was a child's voice. Sounds of footsteps thundered into the room. Syaoran looked over and saw many children.  
" He's awake!" The youngest one cried. " Are you real?"

Suddenly, there were many questions being asked, getting louder and louder by the second. Syaoran sat up slowly, waving the questions off while yawning.  
" What happened?" He finally asked.   
" They told us that the Phoenix Dragon is with us," The children once again began to talk excitedly and loudly. Syaoran winced.  
" Alright, alright, quiet down." Syaoran stood up. " What time is it? Also, where are the rest of the mortals?"

The chattering began again, and as Syaoran walked out he was still surrounded by the different children. Syaoran tried to quiet them down but it seemed the children were too excited to care.

Syaoran told himself he didn't like being the center of attention anymore, even more a star of any kind. Actually, he already was tired of it, but this just reinforced the fact. They walked through the dimly lit tunnel, the children's noisy chatter giving Syaoran a headache. Eventually, an Arn came and quieted them down.

" Yue and Longak are looking for you." Said the Arn. Syaoran found himself comparing the Arn with Longak. The Arn had softer looks than the other immortal. Laughing eyes, smooth skin, and dirty brown hair that flew about his face like ruffles. Syaoran nodded.

" So he's sensing where we are now." Syaoran observed. " Or at least, the area we're in. I haven't even done much training."

  
  
  
" It will have to do." Longak grumbled. " Told you we didn't have much time. In case you didn't notice, the Dark Phoenix always knows where you are. He'll be setting up lots of nonsense later on."  
" I'm content with that." Syaoran answered. " Since my powers aren't controlled yet, I guess we'll have to settle with traps. Just because he's immortal doesn't mean he's wiser than those who are not. Allen, Escaflowne, Chid, sorceresses and sorcerors, what do you suggest?"

The mortals weren't sure. " What can you do?"

Syaoran sighed. " right. Strategies, people to do them. Zhu Geliang." The others cocked an eyebrow at him. " Alright. All of the Manders have the power to enchant through their singing. They can raise tidal waves if they wish-I'm not sure how that's going to help. They are in control of all sea creatures and are good to have if you're traveling by water. They can also cast some illusions to fool the Dark Phoenix for a short time, but I don't know if that's going to help us much-the time is really short. They are not that good in direct combat. You should probably set them as back up or defense. They can also shift the land into the sea, but it takes a lot of them. Do we have enough?" Syaoran asked Nakten. Nakten didn't know. 

" It might be good for drenching the Dark Phoenix, but I doubt it will do him much harm. It may slow him down." Syaoran said without humor. " Anything you can think of about water they can do. They can do even more than dragons can, which tells you how powerful they are."

" The serpents are good at direct combat because they're usually less docile, and they have sharp teeth. They can't do much. They're really fast fliers, but if you want flying gods you should move to the Arns. The serpents are rather dark creatures and some of the more powerful ones have control over time. It probably won't affect the Dark Phoenix if the one the other sorceror casted did not. But they can cause a good distraction, and they're not easy to wound or kill."

" The Arns are very good at flying. They have some control over fire, but they won't have any affect on the Dark Phoenix. The Arns can drive the Dark Phoenix insane." Here Syaoran made a hint of a snort. " But I doubt it would help much in the long run."

" Unicorns have this charm thing going. They have the ability to bless us and perhaps shield us from some of the Dark Phoenix's spells. They can also cast some weird spells on the Dark Phoenix that should work. Again, this can only be for a short while."

" How short?"  
" Two hours."

A brief silence.

" And the Forins?"

Syaoran blushed. " Not much they can do either. They're friends with the trees. I don't know, they listen to the trees and understand their language. And flowers, and any plant. So...they can also communicate to all the wood animals, but...?"

There was a loud boom. The earth shook. Syaoran looked tired.

" Things are heating up over there." Syaoran sighed. " He's coming back more and more frequently."  
  
The ceiling began to crack. Syaoran raised his hands and it mended.

" Quick, over here!" Longak shoved Syaoran into a dark hall. " Go up ahead. You'll find Escaflowne there, and get out of here! We don't have time for training any longer. The man's going to chase you to the ends of the universe! Hurry!" He shut the door as Syaoran, Van, Hitomi and Lorenil went through.  
" What about the others?" Syaoran suddenly cried as they ran towards Escaflowne.  
" I'm sure the immortals will take care of that." Hitomi was a natural runner, but the hallway seemed so long and dark and confined...

Escaflowne curled up in its dragon form and was as still as the stones around it. Occasionally there will be a tremble as the earth shook from the booming above. The group ran up onto the dragon and the dragon roused.

" Over there," Syaoran's sharp dragon eyes spotted an exit. " Hurry up! This place is going to collapse!"

They made it out, but Hitomi's leg was crushed by one of the boulders. Outside the sun was hot and bright, but the wind was cool and refreshing. The Dark Phoenix spotted them and dove down. Without thinking, Syaoran released a blast of energy, knocking the other back. The Dark Phoenix flapped his giant wings, then he formed a black aura, so big that it seemed to cover the whole sky. The aura shaped itself into a great bird with huge wings, the the huge bird soared overhead. Syaoran hesitated only a second.

" Hitomi! Bring out your cards!" He yelled, and he jumped off Escaflowne.

" Syaoran!" Van shouted. Syaoran dove down. He was falling. His body was spinning and he was falling, faster and faster and faster. The ground rose to meet him and he twisted his body up. He swooped up at a sharp angle and the Dark Phoenix screeched as he pulled his sword out and stabbed him in the wing. Syaoran hovered, his pale robes flapping, and concentrated on his own aura. Red aura became a phoenix almost as huge as the Dark Phoenix's own aura, and green aura became a long dragon, slithering and roaring silently, its massive head demanding allegiance. Where the red and green auras met, a brown shadows flickered.

Syaoran was bigger than the Dark Phoenix.

Escaflowne veered around as Van eyed the child and the man. The dragon paused in midair. Hitomi summoned her staff and struck a card. A bow and arrow appeared in Syaoran's hands.

The boy looked at Hitomi briefly before aiming. The Dark Phoenix made a cross with his arms as the arrow pierced his aura. The arrow deflected and Syaoran dodged.

The Dark Phoenix released a roar. Orcs and Ogres flooded the field below them. Serpents surrounded Van and Escaflowne. Syaoran turned. Something shot past him. It came from a serpent, who had shot lightning out of its mouth. Syaoran glared at the serpent. The Arns from the refuge came to join him in the air. He turned back to the Dark Phoenix. The man was smirking.

Without warning, Syaoran dove below the Dark Phoenix. The man gave a screech of fury and dove down after him. Syaoran stretched his body and felt himself move faster, gliding through the air. The wind lifted him up and carried him, faster and faster and faster...

A pain crashed into his back. Syaoran turned around and shot whatever he could think of at the Dark Phoenix. He changed himself into a solid light and lashed against the Dark Phoenix violently. The Dark Phoenix responded in kind, and the two began to crash into each other again and again, one purple, one brown, and the lights began to make the sky as white as snow and glow painfully.

Shrieks were heard. Van tried to draw Escaflowne up, but there were serpents trapping him in. He dove down and saw that the serpents were following him. He tried to get up, but they blocked him. He tore through, but they began to attack everyone. Lorenil tried to cast spells but they didn't seem to work on the strange creatures, and so Escaflown crashed into the canyon below.  
  
It was a long drop. 


End file.
